Gospel Good Works.

Nate Schlomann

[0:00] Well good morning again Village. We just wanted to show that video as a reminder. [0:04] I just want to remind ourselves that God’s mission is a global mission. [0:08] We say all the time here that we want to see as many people as possible [0:12] redeemed and reconciled to God. That’s God’s heart and it needs to be our heart too. [0:16] And of course that’s got to start right here right where we are. [0:19] We’re all called each and every day to be missionaries right where we are.

[0:23] Second Corinthians says that we’re ambassadors for Christ. [0:25] We’re spreading the aroma of Christ to all those that we come in contact with [0:29] so that they can know him. And that that includes Midlothian, Chesapeakeld, [0:33] Richmond. It’s got to start right here but it can’t stop there because the great commission [0:38] says that we’re supposed to make disciples of all nations. So that means eventually we have to take [0:42] this message our mission to all nations. So what I want to do this morning is actually just spend

[0:47] a little bit time talking about that to you and talking to you about what Village Church is doing [0:52] in the area of global missions. I think my favorite quote from that video was towards the beginning [0:58] where it says, we talk about the second coming but half the world has never heard of the first. [1:03] And that’s a that’s a really sobering quote and unfortunately I think it’s way too true. [1:08] That’s one of the reasons why you’re probably not going to hear a five-part series here on the [1:12] rapture or a whole Sunday morning devoted to signs of the end times. It’s not because those

[1:16] things aren’t important. They are. We’re supposed to proclaim that Jesus is coming back. It’s our [1:21] hope. That’s a clear teaching of scripture that we teach but I think the church has gotten its [1:25] priorities out of whack sometimes in its history on those things because how much more important [1:31] is it this gospel message that we have? I think sometimes we’re so much more obsessed with [1:37] what’s going to happen at the end and we’re not nearly as obsessed with how all the nations are [1:40] going to get to the end because that’s the mission that we actually have. We’re not supposed to worry

[1:45] about what happens at the end. We’re supposed to worry about getting all the nations to the end.

[1:50] Unfortunately you know a fiction series called many haven’t heard yet isn’t going to sell like [1:54] a fiction series called left behind and that’s really to our shame. It shouldn’t be that way. [1:59] We should be much more passionate about seeing the nations come to Christ. We’re a young church. [2:06] On September 19th we’re going to be celebrating our one-year anniversary so we’re not even a year [2:10] old yet. You guys definitely don’t want to miss that by the way. It’s going to be a great time. [2:14] Invite everyone you know because it’s going to be a really great Sunday but we’re not even a year

[2:17] old yet. But we feel that even now it’s important that we start pushing out towards global missions [2:22] even though we don’t have a lot of resources. We feel it’s important that we do send resources [2:27] to global missions, send people resources, our time and our energy to global missions. [2:32] So we are doing some of that and so I want to talk to you about that a little bit. [2:36] At the end of October a team of us are going to be taking a trip to China. We’re going to be going [2:41] to a pretty urban city in China. There’s a lot of young urban professionals you might consider it

[2:46] kind of new China industrialized a little bit more like our cities here. Not a lot like our cities [2:52] a little bit more but not kind of the rice paddies and peasants that you might have in your mind. [2:57] Those certainly aren’t far off. And what are we going to be doing there? We’re actually going to [3:02] be helping some workers who are already there. We have to be careful everything that we say [3:07] because China is still a country that’s close to the gospel. You’re not allowed to go there [3:11] to preach the gospel but it was very important to us that we join a work that was already

[3:16] taking place there. We didn’t just want to parachute in, tell some people about Jesus, [3:20] leave and say good luck with all that. That’s not a good way to do mission so we wanted to join a [3:25] work that was already taking place there in China. So that’s what we’re going to be doing and we’re [3:30] going to be using our status as tourists to actually go and meet local people and have [3:37] conversations and try to find people who are interested in hearing about the gospel, hearing [3:41] about God and connect them with people who are already there. Because we are tourists we’re going

[3:46] to be able to be a little bit bolder than what people who are there long term can be for security [3:51] reasons. So we can be a little bit more bolder in the questions we ask and the up frontness that [3:56] we are with people about just asking them about their faith or really more it’s talking about our [4:01] faith and hopefully getting a response. In an urban area like this in China these people have [4:07] been studying English since they were kids. So the language barrier is still a little bit of a [4:11] barrier but not nearly as much as you might think. A lot of the people that we’ll run into can speak

[4:15] English and so we’ll be able to converse with them. Hopefully we’ll be able to get to the point [4:19] where we actually tell them about Jesus and then follow up with that during the week that we’re [4:23] there. The goal of all this being to enhance the mission of the people that we’re going to be [4:29] working with who are there all the time. Now hopefully you know if a group of us come in there [4:33] we kind of are lighter fluid for what they’re already doing. We can get more connections, [4:38] meet more people and hook them up with the people who are there so their mission can be expanded.

[4:43] Like I said it’s just a start. You know we’re a young church this isn’t a huge mission but [4:47] it’s an important mission. It’s important because it’s a statement that we’re making [4:50] that we’re saying that the gospel is not just about us. It’s not even just about Richmond. [4:57] We’re making the statement that we recognize that Jesus’s mission is to the whole world. [5:01] You know we’re also making a statement that we recognize the gospel is so much bigger than us [5:04] and it just can’t stay confined even in our community. As passionate as we are about reaching

[5:10] our community with the gospel it’s got to go beyond that. Here’s the biggest thing though [5:14] that I really want you guys to hear about global missions at Village Church and that’s that’s the [5:19] this is something that all of Village Church has involved in. It’s not just four people that are [5:24] going to China. All right Village Church is going to China so if you identify with Village Church [5:29] you’re going to China. Some of your resources are going to China but more importantly [5:34] your heart should be going to China and we just really want you guys to feel connected and involved

[5:39] with what we’re doing. Obviously everyone can’t go. If you want to go it’s probably too late at [5:44] this point so sorry. But please let us know actually because we’re going to be taking more [5:49] trips in the future and we really want to know the interests of people who are. But what you can do [5:54] of course is pray and I know that’s a cliche people always say of course you can pray for us but we [5:58] really mean it and more than that we want to know that you’re praying for us. What I’d really love [6:03] for you to do is if you are wanting to pray for us on our trip fill out a connection card. Just put

[6:08] your name on that card and write in the comments praying for China and put it in the box. That will [6:12] do a great deal to help us know that we’ve got the church behind us and you guys are supporting [6:17] us and praying for us and if we’ve got your email address or if you put your email address on that [6:21] card we’ll get you on a list. We’ll send you more information about the trip when it comes closer [6:26] to the dates that we’re taking it but we really just would like everyone to be involved with that [6:29] so please fill out a card let us know you’re praying for us. The other thing of course that

[6:33] you can do is support us financially. Maybe you wanted to go but you just couldn’t take 10 days [6:39] off work. We understand that believe me but what you can do is you can support the trip financially. [6:44] The people who are going are bearing most of the burden of the cost but if we as a church are saying [6:49] that we want to do this and we want to go to China together then we as a church need to come around [6:54] that and bear some of that burden so please support that financially. All you need to do in order to [6:59] do that is just make a check out to Village Church and in the memo just put China trip or missions

[7:03] and it’ll go directly to support that so I definitely encourage anyone who’s able to [7:07] please do that today or in the next few Sundays. So that’s what’s happening with our trip to China. [7:13] I just really wanted to just kind of let you guys know a little bit more about what’s going on [7:17] but really the biggest thing is we’re making a statement about how we feel about God’s mission [7:24] that it can’t stay here it’s got to go to the nations and more than that we’re doing it when [7:27] we’re young because we want it to be a part of our DNA. If we do it now when we can do a little then

[7:32] we’ll keep doing it later when we can do a lot and our goal of course is to grow this church to [7:37] see more people redeemed come to know Jesus and the more people that do that the more resources [7:41] we’ll have to push out and push farther out and take the mission of Jesus to all nations so that’s [7:47] our goal that’s why we’re doing it and we really want you guys to be a part of that. Now this [7:52] morning we’re gonna wrap up Titus it’s our last week in Titus and we’re gonna be in Titus chapter [7:57] three and before we get there though I just want to talk to you a little bit about what Titus has

[8:03] been about in general as an overview. It’s kind of neat to go through entire books of the Bible [8:08] together as a church because what I see happening is when we go through the book of the Bible on [8:13] Sunday morning and then at our community groups later in the week we study the same thing. As a [8:17] church we’re learning to study scripture together and I think that’s pretty neat. I hope you guys [8:21] are learning to see the big themes in books of the Bible. Every book of the Bible is ultimately [8:26] about redemption from Genesis to Revelations. God’s story of redemption is seen in every book

[8:31] of the Bible. We’ve definitely seen that in Titus but hopefully as we study together you’re able to [8:35] learn how to study scripture on your own and study other books of the Bible and I think Titus has [8:40] been especially neat because in Titus we’ve really seen our core values as a church highlighted. [8:46] Lots of the main themes in Titus kind of dovetail with our core values and that should be expected. [8:51] Titus was written by Paul to Titus on the island of Crete telling him how he needs to lead a church [8:57] on gospel mission and our core values are the main themes that we find throughout scripture

[9:02] to lead a church on gospel mission. So it kind of makes sense that they would correlate but I just [9:07] want to give you guys a quick recap overview of Titus and we’ll see how that relates. I think [9:12] it’s a pretty neat thing. The first thing we see right away in Titus is redemption. Okay redemption [9:17] is in just the very first few verses where Paul says that God before time even began [9:23] has been creating a people or redeeming a people for himself. Before creation even God had this [9:29] idea of redemption in mind and he’s sovereignly working to see that it takes place. We can be

[9:34] sure even when we’re obedient to him that we also will see redemption take place because of God’s [9:41] sovereign control over that process. We can trust him. It says in those first few verses of Titus [9:45] that God who promised it never lies so we can be sure that redemption is sure. [9:51] And then right away redemption always leads to mission and we saw that in Titus. In verse three [9:55] of Titus Paul talks about how he was entrusted with the gospel to preach Jesus’s word and when [10:02] the word is preached the mission goes forth and then Titus says or Paul says to Titus you’re

[10:07] entrusted to preach the word of God and all churches are now entrusted to preach the word [10:12] God. That’s kind of the beginning of mission. When we’re redeemed then we’re put on mission [10:17] to preach that redemption to other people. The rest of Titus chapter one we saw mission all [10:21] throughout that as Paul is giving Titus instruction for how to set up church leadership that will [10:26] keep the church focused on mission. The church’s main reason for existing is the mission of Jesus [10:33] okay the church exists because of the mission so when you set up leadership to keep a church on

[10:39] mission all you’re doing is you’re doing the mission right there. Now then a couple weeks ago [10:44] Steve talked in chapter two about community and chapter two of Titus is all about community. When [10:50] we’re redeemed by God when we’re put on mission we have to get in community with each other in [10:54] order to see that mission accomplished. We’re not going to be able to accomplish the mission of Jesus [10:58] by ourselves we have to be discipled. Chapter two of Titus is all about discipleship so we saw [11:03] community there and what was really neat about seeing that there was that at the end of chapter

[11:08] two Paul goes right back again and reminds the people remember your community your discipleship [11:13] is because of redemption it’s because of mission there’s a circle and so he gives them the gospel [11:18] again and he reminds them you’re only a community because of the gospel there’s no other reason. [11:22] And then last week we saw in chapter three that this community starts to move into culture and [11:28] that’s our last core value and Paul begins to tell the community okay now that you’re being [11:32] discipled you need to be hospitable to the culture around you you need to witness to the culture

[11:37] around you and that’s because the purpose of community is not itself community can never stop [11:42] on itself community exists because of mission because of redemption and so the community has [11:46] to take that mission of redemption into the culture and when it does that and the culture [11:51] learns about Jesus and the culture believes in Jesus the cycle starts over again the culture [11:56] is redeemed and then they go on to mission they get into community and they start redeeming [12:01] culture themselves. So it’s a pretty neat cycle I think it’s been pretty neat to see that throughout

[12:05] the book and I think that’s why we see Titus kind of work its way together and we see these [12:08] themes all throughout scripture so I hope as we’re studying books of the Bible you’re able to learn [12:12] how to pull these out for yourself and just read the scripture in a new way because God really does [12:17] have a big story that he’s telling throughout the scriptures. Let’s go ahead and wrap up Titus. [12:23] We’re going to be in Titus chapter three finishing out the book we just got a few verses to go. [12:29] I’ll go ahead and get that up on the screen and we’ll start back in verse eight just for a second

[12:34] and then we’ll move forward. Paul says the saying is trustworthy and I want you to insist on these [12:42] things so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. [12:49] These things are excellent and profitable for people. Paul’s just finished wrapping up another [12:54] proclamation of the gospel he actually gives the gospel in every chapter of Titus. You guys wonder [12:59] why we talk about the gospel so much it’s the example that we see in Titus chapter one Paul [13:03] talks about the gospel in Titus chapter two Paul talks about the gospel and then the beginning of

[13:07] Titus chapter three Paul gives the gospel again and now he’s telling Titus you need to insist on [13:13] these things so the insist on these things that’s the gospel and that’s what Steve talked about [13:17] last week that’s why we insist on the gospel at Village Church but what I want to focus on [13:22] this week is the last part of that verse and then the rest of chapter three where Paul says you need [13:27] to insist on these gospels so that those who believe in God may be careful to devote themselves [13:33] to good works and what I really want to hone in on today and talk about is this idea of good works

[13:38] because Paul talks about it here and then two more times at the end of chapter three and then he’s [13:43] talked about good works a couple other times in Titus and what I want us to really kind of get [13:47] into is what are good works and what are they are they just helping the poor are good works serving [13:52] in church I think we’re going to see that good works are so much bigger than that and encompass [13:57] so much more in our lives but I want to dig into this text to ask that question of what are good [14:02] works so that’s where we’re going to be this morning first thing right off the bat that I want

[14:07] us to see and we see in these verses here is that good works are always gospel focused okay the first [14:14] thing that we see is that Paul says to Titus you need to insist on the gospel so that the people [14:21] will do good works so right there we can tell the gospel must have something to do with good works [14:26] because Titus needs to insist on it in order for the people to do the good works so whatever these [14:32] good works are they must somehow require or relate to the gospel and we actually have seen that theme [14:38] earlier in Titus in chapter two verse 14 Paul is talking about the gospel again and he says that

[14:45] Jesus has redeemed a people to himself who will be zealous for good works so again Paul’s kind of [14:51] putting these two together the gospel and good work somehow they go together in chapter one of [14:57] Titus Paul has the same idea kind of in an opposite way in chapter one of Titus Paul is [15:03] telling Titus to be careful about false teachers and then he says be careful about those false [15:08] teachers they are unfit for good works they teach they don’t teach sound doctrine they’re unfit for [15:13] good works and we learned of course that that sound doctrine was the gospel that Paul had just

[15:18] got done talking about so false teachers are unfit for good works because they don’t have the [15:23] gospel all right so they don’t have the gospel they can’t do good works earlier we see good works [15:28] are part of the gospel we also see this in a few other places in scripture though that I just want [15:33] to highlight really quick turn just back a few pages in most of your bibles to second Timothy three [15:39] verse 16 it’ll be on the screen too Paul’s got another thing here that I think will clue us in [15:44] onto what exactly good works are Paul says all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable

[15:51] for teaching for reproof for correction and for training in righteousness that the man of God may [15:57] be competent equipped for every good work so God’s word is something that equips us for good works [16:04] and this really clues us in again to this idea that good works are always gospel focused because [16:09] what is God’s word God’s word is gospel focused from Genesis to Revelation we see the gospel [16:15] unfolding in God’s word so what kind of good works is God’s word going to equip us for it’s [16:20] going to equip us for gospel good works now we saw this from we see this from Jesus too in Matthew

[16:26] chapter 5 go ahead and turn there we actually looked at this passage last week but we’re going [16:31] to look at a little different part of it but Jesus is actually going to say that good works [16:35] are for God’s glory in Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 he says you are the light of the world a city [16:44] set on a hill cannot be hidden nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand [16:49] and it gives light to all in the house in the same way let your light shine before others so that they [16:56] may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven so Jesus is saying that

[17:01] good works bring God glory and what do we know from the rest of the scripture the main way that [17:05] God wants to get glory from us is through our proclamation of the gospel we’re the church and [17:11] the church gives God glory by being on his mission by caring about the things that he cares about by [17:15] having a heart for the things that he has a heart about and that’s his gospel to redeem people so [17:22] good works are for God’s glory how do we give God glory we live for the gospel we even see that from [17:29] so we’ve got this idea that good works are gospel focused and we’re supposed to devote ourselves

[17:35] to good work so that means we’re supposed to devote ourselves to the gospel but what does that mean [17:40] i mean does that mean that we’re just supposed to walk around 24 hours seven days a week trying to [17:45] devote ourselves to telling people about Jesus and pretty much we give up everything else in our life [17:50] and we don’t watch tv anymore and we don’t really have fun and all we do is tell people about Jesus [17:55] because that’s not that’s not fun right is that what that means i mean no that’s not what that [18:01] means now if there’s a pendulum swinging i don’t think that a lot of our problem is really that

[18:06] we spend too much time telling people about Jesus i don’t think we have a problem steering [18:10] conversations to Jesus too often so i think we could head that way a little bit but that’s not [18:16] the only type of gospel good works that we’re talking about here remember as Christians when [18:21] you’re redeemed when you’re saved by Jesus everything in your life is supposed to become [18:25] about the gospel and that’s not an exaggeration that’s not just kind of some kind of ideal but [18:31] it’s actually true it’s actually possible for everything in your life to be about the gospel

[18:35] of course that’s obvious in some areas we see how kind of our relationships could become about the [18:41] gospel people that we know that who don’t know Jesus obviously we need to use those relationships [18:46] for the gospel obviously we understand that we need to learn to use our time better for the [18:51] gospel our resources better for the gospel but it really trickles down into every aspect of our [18:56] life because if we’re really putting our lives together to live the mission of Jesus and to be [19:01] on mission for him everything that we do is going to have a gospel implication even if it kind of

[19:05] seems trite and not important and because of that and we’re going to flesh that out a little bit [19:12] later but because of that everything we do has the potential to be a gospel good work [19:17] that’s what I want you to understand yes the gospel of course includes proclaiming Jesus [19:21] it also includes taking care of the needy it includes serving at church but it also [19:27] includes anything else you do in your life if you’re doing that to advance the gospel in your life [19:32] and that’s what we’re gonna flesh out a little bit but first let’s get back to Titus chapter

[19:37] three because Paul goes an interesting direction right after that he’s going to shift a little [19:42] bit he’s going to talk about people who are not doing gospel good works and he’s going to talk [19:48] about what they look like and what that looks like and how we want to avoid that so go ahead [19:52] and join me again in verse nine of Titus chapter three Paul says but avoid foolish controversies

[20:01] genealogies dissensions and quarrels about the law for they are unprofitable and worthless [20:05] as for a person who stirs up division after warning him once and then twice have nothing [20:10] more to do with him knowing that such a person is warped and sinful he is self-condemned [20:16] and notice something I think is interesting here is Paul doesn’t contrast the good works that he [20:21] just talked about necessarily with bad works he doesn’t say do good works and don’t do bad [20:26] works and that’s generally in religion what we would expect to find we would expect to find do

[20:32] bad but in the gospel that’s not the main concern because we’re already saved by Jesus we’re [20:38] changed we’re not supposed to do bad anymore but our concern is not do good not do bad our concern [20:43] now is do good do a lot of good because Jesus has changed us from the inside out we’re new creatures [20:48] we’re not supposed to do bad anymore and obviously that’s something that we still wrestle with and [20:52] that’s another piece to talk about but the main concern of the gospel is no longer this do good [20:58] don’t do bad kind of thing the main concern of the gospel is now advance the gospel and what

[21:03] paul actually tells the people here is do good works and then the next thing he says is avoid [21:09] things that are going to distract you from the gospel the doing of good works so we need to avoid [21:14] gospel distractions and that’s really what we see in these things that paul mentions

[21:20] paul really kind of knew what the church would get into that would distract them from the gospel [21:25] he wrote this because these things are amazingly relevant to us today and as we go through that [21:30] i think you’re going to see that pretty clearly the first things that paul mentions in that [21:36] passage is foolish controversies so we’re not supposed to get involved in anything that gets [21:42] us bogged down into things that don’t ultimately really matter and this could be minor points of [21:48] doctrine this could be in some churches the color of the carpet wallpaper this could be someone’s

[21:54] opinion on something there’s a lot of foolish controversies that we could get bogged down in [21:59] that are not supposed to distract us from the gospel and i think a lot of times what happens [22:05] in churches is churches lose their gospel focus and so they have to find something else to spend [22:10] their time doing and so they find foolish controversies to get bogged down in and so one [22:14] of the main ways that we avoid this distraction is to stay focused on the gospel staying focused [22:19] on the gospel will help us to avoid a lot of things more than anything else but we also have

[22:24] to be careful not to get bogged down and foolish controversies when it comes to matters of minor [22:30] points of doctrine we practice here at village church closed hand and open hand issues you know [22:35] closed hand issues are those mostly related to the gospel to jesus who he is related to god’s [22:41] character related to the truth of the scripture those are closed hand issues we’re not going to [22:47] discuss them we’re not going to argue about them they are what they are we’ve declared that it’s [22:51] on our website all right you can read what those closed hand issues are but then there’s open hand

[22:55] issues and these are matters where christians who are faithful believers who love the bible who love [23:01] jesus find disagreement and we’re not going to argue about those things either we’re going to [23:06] discuss them we’re going to avoid foolish controversies in those areas because it’s not [23:10] worth getting bogged down and getting distracted on our gospel mission to take care of these other [23:15] things that we’re honestly not sure about the next thing that paul mentions is genealogies and [23:21] this is actually very relevant for us today at the time in the creten church what they were doing

[23:28] is there was people who were looking back at jewish genealogies and studying jewish genealogies and [23:34] trying to find all these meanings in them that weren’t really actually there and so we kind of [23:44] have the genealogy of jesus and matthew vitally important to understanding the gospel actually [23:49] so genealogies weren’t a bad thing but they turned what was a good thing into [23:54] a bad thing by obsessing over it and letting it be a distraction to the gospel and we do the same [24:00] thing i mean when i was talking earlier about end times prophecy that can be an absolute

[24:07] genealogy for us today it’s important we’re supposed to understand jesus’s return we should [24:11] study that we should teach it but if we become obsessed over those things and finding meanings [24:18] in the book of revelation over and opposed to the gospel we’ve let that become a distraction to the [24:25] gospel and take a place that it was never intended to take so church can get distracted on things [24:30] like genealogies too today just like they could then next thing that paul mentions is dissensions [24:36] this is actually one if you could say anything was a bad work that’s that’s a bad work in a

[24:41] little bit of a way because dissension is people actually being against the mission of the church [24:47] the church has a gospel mission and people are dissenting against that and wanting to do their [24:51] own thing and that’s something that paul says we need to avoid and finally the last thing paul says [24:56] to avoid is quarrels about the law and we absolutely do this in the modern church today also at that [25:02] time of course they were quarreling about the jewish law but what we tend to do today is quarrel [25:06] about christian liberty and we quarrel about what you can do what you can’t do can you drink can’t

[25:11] you drink can you go to this kind of movie can you not go to this kind of movie and we quarrel [25:15] about these things and we’re not supposed to if it’s not clear in scripture we’re supposed to have [25:21] charity with one another it’s okay to discuss these things but we’re supposed to avoid quarreling [25:25] over things that aren’t clear and if it does become such a contentious issue we have to submit [25:29] humbly to one another and give up some of our freedoms for the sake of others to get through [25:34] these things so that they don’t become a distraction to the gospel paul’s primary concern

[25:39] in mentioning all these things was that they not distract from the gospel and we can see that in [25:43] what he says he says he doesn’t say that they’re evil though there is certainly some sin we can [25:48] see especially in the attitudes presented in these items but paul doesn’t say don’t do these [25:52] because they’re sinful he says don’t do these because they’re unprofitable and worthless [25:57] so in paul’s mind the biggest problem with these things is that they’re distracting from the gospel [26:02] they’re keeping the church from its mission the hardest part of this text if we could get

[26:08] those few verses back on the screen the hardest part is in verse 10 i think for me and look look [26:15] at what verse 10 says there it actually says that a person can be a gospel distraction and that’s [26:21] tough for us it says that for a person who stirs up the vision after warning him once and then twice [26:26] have nothing more to do with him that’s a tough teaching we don’t like to hear that it doesn’t [26:31] really rub us the right way because we don’t understand um you know it seems a little mean [26:36] and in our minds doesn’t that person need the gospel too are we having nothing more to do with

[26:41] them well here’s the problem they claim to already have the gospel we’re not talking about [26:44] unbelievers here we’re talking about a person in the church who claims to have the gospel [26:49] who’s not following the gospel and paul knows just how serious of an issue this is for the church [26:56] and just how dangerous of an issue it is and it needs to be confronted and actually i think [27:00] we all realize how serious of an issue it is too because if you ever talk to someone who’s been [27:06] burnt out on church and who’s not interested in going to church anymore what’s one of the first

[27:10] things that they usually say i want to go to church because all there is there is hypocrites [27:15] and this this is that hypocrite right there the person that claims to believe the gospel but [27:22] doesn’t doesn’t act it out in their actions now of course you and i know that the person that says [27:27] i don’t want to go to church because all they are hypocrites is also a hypocrite because we’re all [27:31] hypocrites we realize that i’m a hypocrite you’re a hypocrite but the big difference is hopefully [27:36] we’re repentant hypocrites i sure hope i realize when i am one that i say i’m sorry and that i

[27:42] shouldn’t be because of jesus but the difference here is this is a person who is a hypocrite and [27:48] has been confronted once and then twice and refuses to repent of that and paul says we’re [27:54] to have nothing to do with them that’s a tough teaching it definitely doesn’t seem fair sometimes [28:00] to us but here’s the bottom line on this one it’s impossible to be nice to everyone all the time [28:07] that’s something we don’t want to hear okay we don’t want to hear that at all but if we’re in [28:11] a church that is focused on gospel mission and we have people that claim to know the gospel

[28:15] and they are distracting the church from the gospel the worst thing that we could do [28:19] is just be nice to them we have to lovingly confront them show them that what they’re doing [28:24] is hurting the gospel and if necessary have nothing to do with them why is that it says in [28:30] that verse that they’re self-condemned and the reason that they’re self-condemned is because [28:34] they claim to have the gospel and they don’t that is the most dangerous place you could possibly be [28:39] at that point their only hope is that they would understand that they don’t have the gospel

[28:44] and so i think that’s why paul teaches that to us in that way if you’re going to live a life for [28:50] the gospel if you’re going to live a life where everything in your life is focused on seeing god’s [28:56] mission come forth you’re just going to have to understand that just like jesus says some people [29:02] aren’t going to like you all right that’s just something you’re going to have to deal with [29:05] because people around you who want to live a comfortable life and who don’t want to live [29:09] for the gospel aren’t going to appreciate some of the things that you’re doing and some of the

[29:13] things that you’re taking on things and that’s just that’s just the way it’s got to be and i [29:17] think that’s why paul tells us that there so we’ve seen everything in our life needs to be for the [29:24] gospel we’ve got this idea of gospel good works we’re good works that are focused on the gospel [29:30] and every part of our life is used to advance the gospel and then we’ve also seen paul talk [29:36] about it in the negative how we’re supposed to avoid things that distract us from the gospel [29:40] i think the last teaching in titus chapter 3 is in a lot of ways the hardest one because paul is

[29:47] now going to say not only do you need to figure out things in your life and how you can use those [29:51] for the gospel not only do you need to avoid things that distract you from the gospel but now [29:56] you also need to learn new things to do in your life to advance the gospel and that kind of rubs [30:02] once we really understand what paul is asking us to do that rubs on our freedoms the wrong way [30:07] because paul’s asking us to change paul’s asking us to do things differently than we did today [30:12] in the future paul’s asking us to learn new things he’s asking us to sacrifice and so sometimes

[30:17] that rubs on our freedom and on our sense that we’re controlling our lives when actuality as [30:23] christians we’re not supposed to so let’s go ahead and look at that starting in verse 12 of titus [30:29] chapter 3 and we’re going to read to the end of the book paul says when i sent artemis and [30:37] to you do your best to come to me at necropolis for i have decided to spend the winter there [30:43] do your best to speed zennis the lawyer and apollos on their way see that they lack nothing [30:48] here we go and let our people learn to devote themselves to good works so as to help cases

[30:54] of urgent need and not be unfruitful all who are with me send greetings to you greet those who love [31:00] us in the faith grace be with you all notice that word that paul uses there that’s bad news for us [31:07] if we don’t want to change paul says we need to learn to do good works you don’t learn to do [31:13] something that you already know how to do you don’t learn to do something that you’re already [31:17] doing earlier in verse 8 paul says that people need to be careful to do good work so there’s [31:21] definitely this idea that good works must be intentional okay we have to intentionally pursue

[31:28] good works if you’re setting your life up to glorify god you’re going to be concerned with [31:34] seeing as many people as possible find redemption in jesus and if you’re doing that then what you’re [31:40] going to start doing is you’re going to start looking at your life as it is now and you’re [31:43] going to start saying what can i tweak to see the gospel go forward you know who do i know that [31:49] needs jesus you’re going to start to do that you’re going to start to look at your time [31:52] and what you’re doing how how am i spending my time do i need to spend my time in different ways

[31:56] to advance the gospel these are good things and this is where it has to start but we quickly [32:02] realize that these kind of tweaks we’re making to the lives that we live is not completely what [32:07] god had in mind when he wants a transformed life eventually we’re going to have to step back take [32:13] a little broader view of our life and realize that there might be some things that we need to [32:17] completely rearrange for the gospel god might want to show us some new things god might want to [32:23] change some things in our life for people at the village there’s instances where that’s meant a

[32:28] career change there are people at the village that have completely developed a new skill [32:33] in order to do good works intentionally there are people at the village that have learned to do [32:40] things that they never thought they could do before and i truly believe that in this audience [32:45] there are more people like that and that that could be your story in the future good works are [32:50] that we need to learn to do and that takes effort that takes a willingness to look at our life [32:55] and all our decision making and say okay god what do you want not what do i think you want but what

[33:02] do you really want how could you change me in order to do good works whenever you talk about good

[33:11] works inevitably you’re going to have someone that has this objection and they’re going to say [33:16] that’s nice that we’re talking about good works but you kind of sound like you’re giving good [33:21] works an agenda you’re saying that good works need to be gospel focused and if a good work has [33:26] an agenda like i’m just doing something nice because of the gospel then doesn’t that make [33:30] it not really a good work you know doesn’t a good work need to not have an ulterior motive to be a [33:36] good work and paul is absolutely going to disagree with you and i’ll show you where look back at verse

[33:41] right there he says so as to help cases of urgent need and not be unfruitful all right that word [33:49] unfruitful paul had an agenda right there now i do want you to notice one thing he says to help cases [33:54] of urgent needs so don’t get the idea that helping people with urgent need is not a gospel good work [34:00] it absolutely is that is one of the main ways uh that we spread the gospel we need to do more [34:05] of that at village but look what paul expects from it he expects that helping cases of urgent need [34:10] will produce fruit and what is fruit fruit is the gospel fruit is absolutely the gospel so paul is

[34:16] expecting that we’re going to help cases of urgent need and from that we’re going to see the fruit of [34:21] the gospel we’re going to look at one more passage second corinthians 9 it’ll also be on the screen [34:26] but you can turn there that i think really just solidified this idea that paul did definitely [34:31] have an agenda it’s a little bit long but stick with me on this paul says he who supplies seed [34:40] to the sower and bread for food so he’s talking about god will supply and multiply your seed for [34:45] sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness so we’re talking about good works here

[34:51] you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way which through through us will produce [34:56] thanksgiving to god for the ministry of this service is not only we’re about to have an agenda [35:03] here the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also [35:08] flowing in many thanksgivings to god by their approval of this service they will glorify god [35:13] because of your submission and here’s the key flowing from your confession of the gospel of [35:18] christ and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others so paul absolutely had an

[35:24] agenda he’s saying right there that you’re going to do good works and people are going to glorify god [35:29] because your works are flowing from your submission to the gospel of christ so paul is saying [35:35] the gospel is the agenda all right and that’s got to be true for our good works now the truth is [35:42] people don’t do anything without an agenda if they say otherwise psychologists would [35:46] definitely disagree with them and that really is kind of obvious if we think about it even if our [35:50] agenda is trying to be good there’s another agenda there that we’re trying to make ourselves feel

[35:55] better we’re trying to do what we think is right there’s always an agenda and the thing that we [35:59] need to understand is once you’re a christian once you’re a believer the only agenda that really [36:05] matters is the gospel any other agenda is not god-centered is not god-focused even if you’re [36:11] trying to do things just to be nice just to help people just to see the world be a better place [36:17] the bible says that that’s not a valid agenda for a christian that’s really actually what isaiah is [36:22] talking about in isaiah chapter 64 where he talks about all our righteousness being like filthy

[36:27] rags he doesn’t if you read the context of that passage he doesn’t actually say that [36:31] all of our righteousness are like filthy rags he’s saying all righteousness not devoted to god [36:36] is like filthy rags all righteousness that’s outside of god’s plan is like filthy rags so [36:43] your good works that are for the gospel those are not like filthy rags and that’s only because [36:48] of jesus it’s again it’s not our good work so it is true in some sense to say that any righteousness [36:53] of our own is like filthy rags and that’s why any agenda that you have outside of the gospel

[36:58] is not a valid agenda our agenda must be to give people the gospel as we do good works

[37:06] so what what do good works look like then at village church this is really what i want you [37:12] to hear today good works can’t originate from up here on the stage you know the people that [37:17] you see up on the stage are not village church we all are village church so good works at village [37:24] church have got to originate from you you’ve got to get a plan for your life of how you’re [37:28] going to advance the gospel with everything that you have the place to start of course [37:34] is to start right where you are we’ve we talk about this sometimes here but it’s true you’ve

[37:40] got to evaluate and look at your life over again and do that today what are you doing to advance [37:45] the gospel in your life where are these gospel good works in your life what can you point to [37:50] and you say i’m doing this because of the gospel do you believe that everything in your life [37:55] actually can be for the gospel or is that kind of a high unrealistic goal that you just kind of [38:01] think it’s silly if that’s the case get in the community group and talk about that because i [38:05] would love to show you how everything in your life really can be lived out for the gospel you were

[38:10] to glorify god and that happens through his word it happens through the gospel and so you can live [38:16] that kind of life but the next thing that i want you to think about is this last thing that paul [38:22] talks about is learning to do a gospel good work i really want to challenge you to learn to do a [38:28] gospel good work i’ve just seen amazing stories at the village by people that have done it [38:33] people have learned to play instruments people that have learned to do graphics people that have [38:37] all kinds of things and it could have nothing to do with the church you know one thing that

[38:42] we need and we’ve seen through these passages of scripture is that the gospel absolutely goes [38:46] forward through caring for the poor and caring for the needy we don’t have a person that’s really [38:51] in charge of that village church maybe that’s something that you want to learn to do maybe [38:55] that’s a mantle that you want to take on because you feel compelled to serve the gospel in that way [39:01] that’d be great you know titus says the leadership of a church is there to instruct the people in [39:07] good works to encourage the people in good works to support the people in good work so we would like

[39:12] nothing more than to talk to you about how you can do good works for the gospel in your life [39:17] that would be a joy honestly for us to talk about we’d love to sit with you we’d love to get coffee [39:23] we’d love to talk to you after church fill out a connection card email us whatever you want to do [39:27] we would love to talk to you about that it’s our joy as pastors to guide you and lead you in doing [39:32] good works the last thing i want to say before the band comes up and we go into communion is [39:40] understand as we’ve been talking about this the good works apart from the gospel are worthless

[39:45] and what that really means for some of us in here is that good works if we don’t know jesus [39:50] are worthless if we don’t know jesus all our good works are really for nothing the bible does say [39:57] that our righteousness is like filthy rags and so if you don’t know him today every good work [40:03] that you’re doing is not doing you any good but here’s the thing you can know him today you were [40:07] created to glorify god and if you repent of your sin if you believe in jesus if you trust him you [40:12] can start today to live good works that do glorify god to do works that do make a difference for

[40:18] eternity that’s what you were created for and that’s what you need to do so i just want to [40:22] encourage you to do that if that’s the place where you are today we’re going to go ahead and [40:27] take communion now as the band comes up and we do this every week

[40:32] communion is a time to reflect on the gospel in your life you know we’ve been talking about [40:39] the gospel taking root in every aspect of your life and so now as we take communion [40:43] we’re going to reflect on jesus’s body broken for us we’re going to proclaim his death until he [40:48] returns and so as you’re doing that think about whether you’re living that in your life whether [40:55] you’re producing gospel works in your life that do proclaim jesus’s death until in resurrection [41:00] until he returns so take some time now and pray after we’re done praying and just reflect on

[41:07] the gospel reflect on communion and let this be a time to consider the good works that you do need [41:14] as paul instruction titus let’s go ahead and pray father is thank you for your word god i thank [41:20] you for teaching us through titus i thank you for your mission god please help us to see [41:26] in our lives where we need to do gospel good work centered on your gospel and for your gospel [41:34] we pray all these things in jesus name