"How Do I Do What is Right?"
Date: 13 May, 2015
Text: Titus 2:11-15
Title: How do I do what is right?
Introduction:
The chapter begins with Paul instructing Timothy to give instruction to aged men and women, young women and men, servants.... that they do that which is pleasing to God and be set apart from the world.
The word for being set apart from the world and being set apart unto God - is sanctification.
John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
1Co 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
I. Let grace teach you sanctification.
11 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, ....
exp. When saving grace took hold of our hearts, it didn't leave us ignorant of what God wanted us to do. IT WAS OUR TEACHER!
ill. It's amazing to see someone change after they get saved. Earl - moved into his brother's barn to be closer to church, stopped smoking, went to Bible college, went from shyness to boldness.
how: God's grace doesn't accept sinners.... it transforms sinners.
ill. A lot of churches have it wrong - they say, "God accepts you as you are." AND IN DOING SO THEY LEAVE THE SINNER UNRESCUED AND UNSAVED AND THE SAME AS HE WAS WHEN HE CAME INTO CHURCH.
ill. How many refugees in drowning in the Mediterranean want a rescue vessel to pull along side and tell them how well they are doing treading water. They just want to get out of the predicament they are in!
app. We have the true message of grace this morning when we say, "God will take you as you are but by his grace HE will change you into WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO BE." He will rescue you! And if you don't want to be rescued from your sin - you don't want His Gospel because His is a LIFE SAVING Gospel!
A. Grace will teach us to say, "no."
1. "NO"to irreverance towards God.
...denying ungodliness
def. Ungodliness: "Want of reverence towards God."
exp. Our world is completely irreverent and it is creaping into our churches. They want to bring God down to the level of man and worship Him as they please.
ill. Listen to a lot of the modern "worship" songs and they sound like rock music with words more appropriate for a human love song than a song of worship of God.
ill. St. Peter's Church in Dundee - Robert Murray McCheynne pastored there and God sent revival. I saw it how it was but now it has been completely changed. Looks modern with guitars on the platform and no pulpit. (That I remember.)
ill. New advertising campaign for Church of Scotland - young preacher with jeans ripped near his underwear - looking worldly as can be.
app. That is ungodly irreverence! We are not here to worship a man like us. We are here to worship a Holy Sinless God who is far above us! The ungodly would seek to make him like man to appease the ungodly.
2. "NO" to appetites of the world.
...and worldly lusts,
exp. The world has desires that no believer should have. They lust for rock music. They lust for pornography. They lust for crass sensual entertainment. They lust for alcohol. They lust for drugs. They lust for material things. They lust for revenge. etc.
ill. Do you want a politician who favors terrorism. (It is scary that it seems we have some of those.) But where it is found, it is incredibly shameful!
app. God's grace will not allow a believer to wallow in the world. Call it "Christianity" if you want but GOD WILL HAVE NONE OF IT. God's grace will not take you out of the world but it will take the world out of you.
B. Grace will teach us to think soberly.
...we should live soberly,
def. soberly: Of sound mind.
ill.
· Someone who is drunk is out of their mind with alcohol.
· Someone who is murderous is out of their mind with rage.
· Someone who is a fornicator is out of their mind with lust.
exp. Grace teaches us to be able to disobey lust, rage and controlling substances and THINK RIGHT.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
app. Are you thinking right? God's grace gives victory where sin originates - inside of us. That is why the Gospel is such a liberator of drunkards and drug addicts.
C. Grace will teach us to do right.
righteously,
exp. Grace will teach us to do what is right.
ill. Children aren't born with incredible wisdom. Wisdom is instilled in a child by Godly loving parents.
Pr 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
exp. Grace lovingly teaches the new born child of God how to do what is right.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
app. Are you taking in meat yet? Do you know Good from evil? Our world doesn't because they have not sat at the feet of grace and learned. (Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!)
D. Grace will teach us to live like a child of God.
and godly,
exp. Ungodly is unlike God. Godly is like God. And if you are godly there is a simple test you can do. It is one question.
question: Have you ever been reproached for being like Jesus?
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Mt 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
app. Our world is nothing like Jesus. If we are, then we will hear the same reproach which Christ heard. Grace will challenge us to identify with Jesus despite persecution.
E. Grace will teach us to do this despite our environment.
in this present world;
exp. "in this present world" leaves no loophole for ignoring the teaching of grace. We can't say this morning, "Well that was then but this is now." God wanted a sanctified people then and he wants a sanctified people now.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
ill. The Lord's model prayer. Mt 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
app. We have no excuse this morning for unsanctified living. If you are saved, grace is teaching you to live a sanctified life.
II. Let hope encourage you to sanctification.
A.We must look up.
13 Looking for that blessed hope,
exp. There ought to be an attention to the sky for a believer. Jesus didn't miss his first coming and He'll not miss the second coming.
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
1Thesallonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
ill. Jesus tells a story about a master who left his servant in charge. He returned at an unexpected time.
app. What do you want to be doing when Jesus comes? Is it what you have been doing this past week. Hope encourages us to be sanctified. He is coming back and we need to be ready!
B. We must bow down.
...and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
exp. Notice the title of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is GOD! He has already said in Titus 2:10 "...that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."
ill. If I was a neighbor, I could confront you about civil disobedience. But, if I was a judge, I could dicipline you for civil disobedience.
app. We better BOW NOW before God or we will bow then. He is not SIMPLY a man, He is God, the judge of all mankind. 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
app. That hope of the return of God, our Saviour, ought to encourage us to get sanctified. But, in case that isn't enough....
III. Let Jesus motivate you to sanctification.
A. You were the slave of sin until he bought you with his life.
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
question: What did Jesus do - SO THAT YOU CAN BE SET FREE FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN?
exp. He left the glory of Heaven and the presence of God the Father. He was born into this world in a stable. He lived a humble life. He was mocked, abused, hated. He was given a fake trial and sentenced unjustly to death. He was whipped, beaten, spit on, crowned with a crown of thorns, he suffered crucifixion, God the father turned his back on Him for the only time ever in eternity past and future, and he died.
question: Do you still want to argue for why you can live an unsanctified life and continue living in sin for which He died to set you free?
B. You were purified by Him for Him.
...and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
exp. Again we find His deity in this passage. He want to purify US FOR HIMSELF. Because He is God.
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
app. For you to walk with God - YOU MUST BE SANCTIFIED. Sin separates.
Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
C. You are to be notably good.
...zealous of good works.
exp. Jesus does not want invisible Chrisianity. He wants blatant - God honoring Christianity!
Mt 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
app. If you want to give back something to Him who gave everything for you, give him your loving obedience and testimony of good works. Have a zeal to do what is right.
final app. Do you find any motivaton in wanting to please Jesus. He died to set you free from sin. He wants you for Himself. He wants you to do good as a testimony to this world of the power of God to set free from sin.
IV. Obey God's demand for sanctification.
15 ¶ These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
exp. Paul did not say to Timothy, "If people don't accept this or want it, just let it go, because it is no big deal and we'd rather have sinful bodies in church than an empty church."
exp. WHAT DID HE SAY? Stand up to those who stand against A SANCTIFYING GOSPEL.
app. Don't be ashamed to stand where God stands on this. Be ashamed to oppose what the Apostle is teaching in this passage. THE AUTHORITY OF GOD STANDS WITH SANCTIFICATION.
conclusion: It doesn't matter if you are old or young, male or female, servant or free man. God wants you to be sanctified. He wants you set apart unto himself and set apart from the world.
1.) Are you letting grace teach you sanctification?
2.) Is your hope in the return of Christ encouraging you to be sanctified?
3.) Does the death of Jesus motivate you to sanctification? He died to set you free.
4.) Will you obey God's demand for sanctification?
