Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #20251022 - Set In Order The Things That Are Lacking - Titus 1

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#20251022 - Set In Order The Things That Are Lacking - Titus 1 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's Word recorded live at Calvary
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Church in Aurora, Co. To learn more about the many
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resources available through Abounding Grace Media or to tune
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into our live stream services, visit us online at Calvary Co
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dot Church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now let's open our Bibles and study God's Word.
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If you're unfamiliar with some of the.
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Books of the Bible. There is usually an index in the
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front of your. Bible, Titus.
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Is in the New Testament and it'll.
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Tell you what page the book of Titus.
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Is in we. Call it a book, but it's really
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a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to his.
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Son in the Faith, Titus. But before we do that.
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I just want to explain why I'm wearing this crazy hoodie.
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It says mind the gap and this, you know, we spent about almost
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seven years in the UK and in the Underground in London.
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They have the the subway. There and when it.
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Pulls up, you've got a. Sign on the bottom that says
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mind the gap. Which is really ours.
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Watch. Watch your step.
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Because they don't want you stepping in between the.
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The. Carriage and the platform and
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breaking your ankle and I think it's probably just a money thing
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where they don't want to get. Sued SO.
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Mind the gap and that, and then they hear.
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You hear it all the. Time mind the gap and and.
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It just so I. Found this hoodie, my wife found
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one and we thought, you know, and, and by the way, it's got
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the whole London Underground here in the.
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Hoodie so it's a it's a pretty. Cool 1.
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But anyway, this is just a. Reminder to pray for us.
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Jeannie and I are, we have our own special ministry called
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Mission Assist and we go out to pastors and their wives, whether
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it's in the States or abroad. And we're heading to the UK
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again the middle of January for about a month to minister to
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pastors and wives over there. And so if you want to follow us,
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you can go on to bobklaycamp.com and you go on that site and you
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can kind of follow us and see what's going on.
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But. Just pray for us, please.
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Because that's what makes it. Work.
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It's really his work. And he opens those.
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Doors but we're so blessed to be a part of the fellowship here.
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Blessed to I. Counted A privilege that Pastor
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Ed would allow me to to teach her this evening.
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Titus chapter 1 and I'm I'm entitling this study tonight set
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in order the things that are lacking.
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That title comes from the first chapter, and we're just going to
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do Chapter 1 tonight, set in order the things that are
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lacking. So let's start with a word of.
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Prayer and let's see what the Lord might.
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Have for us because we're. Here, not just for information,
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we are here. To hear the Lord speak to our
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hearts. All right, let's get set up
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here. Father God, we thank you so much
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for this opportunity to dig into your word.
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We thank you how you. Saved the word over all of.
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These centuries and all the attempts of man to.
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Try to destroy it. And yet here we have.
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It in front of us. And so, Lord, by the Holy
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Spirit, that inspired Paul to write this.
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To Titus May, may your. Holy Spirit, speak to our
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hearts. About our life situation
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tonight. And so we acknowledge you in our
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time here in Jesus name, Amen. Amen.
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We're going to take a. Deep dive into.
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This letter to Titus. Paul calls him his son in the
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faith. It's basically a letter to
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reiterate what. He had communicated to Titus.
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While Paul was with. Him evangelizing and
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establishing house churches on the island of.
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Crete, the Book of Acts. Doesn't include any record of.
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Paul. Going to the.
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Isle of Crete. And so most Bible commentators
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believe that it happened after. He was released.
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From the Roman. House arrest that you read?
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About at the end of chapter 28 of the book of.
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Acts. Paul continued his ministry.
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For several years. And then he was arrested again.
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And then he was put under in the mammoteen prison in Rome.
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And then, of course, according to Christian tradition, he was.
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Beheaded outside of the city. Of Rome, this, this letter was
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written probably between 63 and 65 AD.
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And, and by how it's written, you can tell that Paul had been
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there and he had done ministry there and he understood that,
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oh, it's my nap time. No, OK, he understood.
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That you don't have to. Use a stopwatch to get.
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Your timing, right? OK.
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But Paul understood the nature of the culture in Crete, and so
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we're going to talk. About that as we go.
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And I'm going to take chapter 1 and divide it into 3.
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Parts for those of you. Taking notes.
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This is just how I. Process things.
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So first of all, verses. One to four, which is like the
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introduction. To the letter.
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And we're going to call. That the.
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Spiritual calling of Paul's. Life the.
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Spiritual calling of Paul's life, verses 1 to 4.
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The second section is verses 5 through 9, and that's called
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the. Spiritual character of the
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elders. And I'll explain that as we go
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into that. And of course, the third
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section, verses 10 to 16. The spiritual.
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Condition of the island and we're going to see some.
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Parallels with the days. We live in to what was going on
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there in Crete. So follow along with me.
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I'm going to read verses one to four in that first section
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called The Spiritual Calling of. Paul's life.
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Paul, a bond servant of God and an.
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Apostle of Jesus Christ. According to the.
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Faith of God's elect. And the acknowledgement of the.
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Truth which accords with. Godliness in hope of eternal
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life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but
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has in due time manifested His Word through preaching, which
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was committed to me according to the commandment of.
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God, our Savior to Titus, a true.
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Son, in our common faith, grace, mercy and peace from God the
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Father and the. Lord Jesus Christ.
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One of the longer sentences that would probably not pass our
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English classes. Today.
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But there it is this. Forms the introduction to the.
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Epistle. All the sentences and phrases
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that Paul includes in verses one to four are important.
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Remember that when Paul. Writes this letter when he.
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Puts his pen to parchment. All this is on his heart
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already, and so the introduction includes phrases.
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That has to do. With what's going on that he's
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going to write about and so as it's not just OK, he's just kind
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of caught up in himself. No, there's a.
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Purpose Purpose for every prepositional.
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Phrase that you see in that first sentence the custom of the
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day of. Course it was that.
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Rather than signing the letter at the end.
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You would first of all. Introduce yourself.
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Put your name first. You know, how about doing that
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when the letters you're writing, but put your name 1st and then
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your your calling, your status, and then that's part of the
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introduction and then who it's. To.
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And of course, that's what we see in the. 1st 4 verses but.
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I want to take a. A.
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Deeper look at verse one. To start with.
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It says in verse one Paul a bond servant of God and an.
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Apostle of Jesus Christ. I want to.
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I want you to notice first of all, Paul counted himself as a
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bondservant before he counted himself an apostle.
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He knew who he was in Christ before he mentions his calling.
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That means his identity was different than his calling.
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Sometimes we can look upon how. What the work we?
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Do and we think that that's the sum total of who we.
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Are the work that we. Do even as Christians.
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But God wants us to understand. We are his first.
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We are his son. We.
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Are his daughter first we? Are in the family.
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Of God first before. Anything we do, what happens
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when you get into an accident and then you can't work, you
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can't perform, you're in the hospital.
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You're stuck. You you can't do anything.
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Are you any less in God's sight? And the answer's absolutely not.
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He knows. Who you are he?
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Sees you, he understands you. Paul.
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Paul had this clear. Here.
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Because he was first A. Bond servant of God before he
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was an apostle of Jesus Christ, and he also uses that
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combination in the epistles of Romans and Philippians.
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So it was something strong on his heart.
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Now let's talk about this first term.
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A bondservant. Of God.
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The word bondservant here. Is the Greek word doulos.
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Dou. Los.
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And it's an interesting word in the Greek.
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Because to be. Called a bondservant.
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There are about four different descriptions that.
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Have to apply to you. Number one, a bond servant, A
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doulos, was born into slavery. And that reminds me that we are
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slaves to sin before we come to Christ.
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We are in bondage. We were born in sin and in
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bondage to sin, and the only way to get out of being a doulos is
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to die. We have died.
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When we put our faith in Christ. We have died with Christ.
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And now we're born into another family to be a bond servant of
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God for life because there's no way to get out of that condition
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except dying. That's the definition of doulos.
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A doulos is one born into slavery and he can't get out of
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it until he dies. And the great news is we died in
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Christ from bondage to sin. And now we are are born again
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into the family of God, into a new relationship with Him that
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we never. Had before.
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And never will change again. And #3 here born into slavery #1
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in bonds so strong that only death could break them #2 Number
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3A Doulos is 1. Whose will was swallowed up?
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In the will of another one whose will was swallowed up.
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In the will of another and number 41, who serves another to
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the disregard of his own best interests.
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So those. Selfish ambitions of the old.
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Life, we put it. Aside, and we say, Lord, not my
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will, but yours be done. Paul considered himself, first
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of all a bond servant of God. That was before he did.
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Anything before he fulfilled any calling that was on his life.
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Yes, it was a true. Calling.
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But first of all, he. Was a bond servant of God.
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And that's us. I mean, so often we just fight.
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With the whole reality of. Our identity and we wrap.
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It up with what we. Do and and the Lord says no.
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No, I'll have you do. Things.
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But you're my son, you're my daughter.
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We're together in this forever. Come to me, all you who labor
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and are heavy laden. I'll give you rest.
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I'm not out. To to be a harsh.
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Taskmaster, like the world, thinks, and then he calls
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himself an. Apostle Apostolos is the Greek.
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Word. It means an ambassador.
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Now when we send AUS ambassador to a country, that ambassador
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represents the interests. The.
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Philosophies of the United States.
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Or of. The one who sent him.
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And he's got to be true to the one who sent him as an
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ambassador, because he represents that country.
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An ambassador or an apostle one sent forth with orders,
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representing in Word and deed the one who sent him.
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Paul had. This calling on his life to go
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to the Gentiles. But his heart also was so.
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Passionate toward his own Jewish people.
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And that's why he'd go to the synagogues first and present
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Christ the suffering Messiah and so.
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This is Paul's. Identity and his calling.
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So just before we go on. To these other phrases, what's?
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Your identity and your calling tonight.
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Be sure that what you do is. Second, who you are is 1st and
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if you have. Received Christ as your Savior.
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You have put your faith. And trust in the Lord Jesus in
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your behalf. And you have repented of your
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sins and you have trusted in him for your salvation.
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You're in the family of God. That's your identity.
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And God isn't looking for performance as much as He's
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looking for fellowship with you. Fellowship.
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It just means that you spend time with him, finding out what
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he's. Like like.
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Being adopted into a family you've never been in before.
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Finding out what your family's like.
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Finding out. What your father is like.
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Having it washed in your heart and mind, let's go on to the
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next phrase here according to the.
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Faith of God's elect the faith as it's used here.
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Is a reference to the entirety of the Christian faith.
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The Gospel of grace through. Faith in Christ Jesus and it's.
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This faith. That needs to be taught in these
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house churches in Crete. You see, it connects with what
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he's going to talk about on the letter.
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I'm an. Apostle of Jesus Christ
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according to the faith of God's elect.
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And the acknowledgement of the. Truth which?
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Accords with godliness. And so the acknowledgement of
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the truth is you're internalizing it.
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Not just, I think I heard that. No, no, it's, it's.
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You've received it and you've digested it and it's yours.
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You've put your. Stamp your name on it.
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Your your signature ring of who you are.
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I'm all in. With this gospel of Jesus
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Christ, there's a whole lot. I don't know.
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But what I do know, I am banking my eternity on it.
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I'm putting my stamp on it. It's mine.
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The acknowledgement of the truth.
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Which? Accords with godliness.
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When you do that, it changes your life and you let the Holy
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Spirit start working in your life and all the sudden.
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There's love, there's joy, there's peace, there's.
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Long-suffering and and the fruit.
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Of the Spirit start. Coming out in your life in the
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hope of eternal. Life which God?
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Who cannot lie promised before time began.
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That's verse 2. In the hope of eternal life.
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It's a confident assurance of what God has promised.
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That applies both. Now and throughout eternity.
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It's based on His faithfulness, not our own, and eternal life
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just looking at that term life. That's the Greek.
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Word Zoe, Zoe and. Zoe is a Greek.
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Word from where we. Get our word zoology but.
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As it's used in Scripture, it's a kind of unique life, different
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than anything in the world, different than just existing.
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Zoe includes a unique kind of life that.
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Fills the. Human soul with purpose, with
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direction, with fullness, and with.
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Hope that's what everybody. In the world is chasing by going
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and going from relationship to relationship to relationship,
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going from job to job to job, moving to this state, moving to
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that state saying, you know, this this kind of alcohol is not
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providing what I want. And so I'm going to try
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something harder. You know, I'm I'm going from
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marijuana and I need something more.
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Hard, hard to. Fill my life because they're
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looking for a purpose. They're looking for fullness
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that only God can bring. Only God can bring it.
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That's what eternal life. Is all about this life.
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From God and it's only. Available to the believer.
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It's not available until you surrender your life.
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To Christ, for God so loved the world that he.
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Gave his only begotten Son. That whoever would.
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Believe in him, should not. Perish, but have.
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Everlasting life. That's that same life in John
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14. 6 Here's what Jesus said. I am the way the.
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Truth. And the life Zoe.
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I am the the Zoe. No one comes.
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To the Father, except through. Me and notice in verse.
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Two, it says God who? Cannot lie now.
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This is the truth. About God for those of.
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You new. To the Lord.
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You need to understand this. It's.
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It's not that. God.
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Has chosen not to lie. It's it's the fact that.
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God can't lie. It's not even in his nature.
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In the same way you can't fly by jumping off a Cliff and flapping
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your arms, you cannot fly. It's not in your nature, while a
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bird can, because it's in his that that bird's nature.
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God cannot lie. So when God gives you a promise,
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it's the. Truth, the devil.
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Is the one who lies because even 1/2.
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Truth is a lie. Because you look at Genesis
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chapter 3 and you see. 1/2 truth.
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Presented When the Devil Approaches Eve, you can read.
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That Jesus called Satan the father of lies.
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John chapter 8, verse 44 he. Tells the religious leaders.
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This is pretty, pretty bold. You are your father.
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You are of your. Father, the Devil and the.
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Desire of your father. You want to do He was a murderer
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from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there
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is no truth in him when he. Speaks a lie he speaks.
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From his own resources. For he is a.
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Liar and the Father. Of it.
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Dude. Jesus, what are you saying?
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The truth I am the truth, unless you've been born again by.
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The Spirit of God. You don't have that eternal life
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in you. That's a fact.
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But God. 'S not trying to hide it from
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you, he wants to give. It to you but.
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You got to come his way, you know, just like.
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I can't have access. To my neighbor's house, unless
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they give it give me a key to get into the house.
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Well, the key into the Kingdom of.
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God is Jesus Christ by. Faith in Him you.
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You may know about the teachings of the Bible, but you don't yet
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have a new birth, a new conception from heaven.
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And I just want to point this out.
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In John 3 verses 5 through 7, Jesus answered Nicodemus most.
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Assuredly, I say to you. Unless one is born of.
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Water. And of the spirit human.
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Birth the water. Breaks and born of the.
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Spirit. He cannot enter the Kingdom.
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Of God that. Which is born of the.
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Flesh is flesh. And that which is born of the.
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Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel.
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That I said to you. You must be born again, and so.
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Good. Question at this point is, are
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you born again? Have you put your faith?
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And trust in Jesus Christ and ask God to.
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Forgive you of all your. Sin.
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That's the. Door verse 3 but has.
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In due time manifested His word through preaching, which was
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committed to me according to the commandment of.
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God, our Savior, this hope. Of eternal life by grace through
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faith in Christ Jesus was made known since the resurrection
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through the heralding of the good news and then in verse 54
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here this is to. Titus, A true.
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Son in the common. Faith for for the apostle Paul
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to call Titus a. True Son in the common faith.
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It it shows. That there was a connection
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between the Apostle Paul bringing Titus to faith in
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Christ. Now we don't know where, we
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don't know when, but what? What happened here?
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Is. The first mention of Titus is
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over in Galatians chapter. 2 where Paul brought.
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Titus, a Gentile to Jerusalem after the first missionary
24:09
journey to. Try to settle.
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I got a conflict. Excuse me and I like all.
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The places that Titus is. Is mentioned because we get a.
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Feel of Titus through how Paul. Talks about him first of all,
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2nd Corinthians 213 as he's talking to the Corinthians he
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said I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my
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brother, but taking my leave of them I departed from Macedonia.
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Here is Paul sending. Titus to try to help.
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The Corinthians get sorted and Paul calls him my brother.
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And then in Second Corinthians Chapter 7, verses 5 through 7.
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Paul writes for. Indeed, when we came to
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Macedonia, that's the area above.
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Greece. Our bodies had no rest.
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But we were troubled. On every side, outside were
25:06
conflicts, inside were. Fears.
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Boy, that's a good description of maybe some of you or some of
25:14
you watching online right now. Outside her troubles and inside
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her fears. Yeah, and that about sums it up.
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OK, well, Paul the Apostle. Had those times too.
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Well, I thought he was. A great man of.
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Faith. Well, he is.
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How does your faith grow? Acceptance tested and so right
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now you're being. Tested outside were conflicts,
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inside were fears nevertheless. That's an important word.
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That may be so, but I'm not going to make that my focus.
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Yes, that's the existence. But my focus is God.
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Who comforts the downcast comforted us by the coming of
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Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the
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consolation comfort with which he was comforting in you when
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he. Told us of your.
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Earnest desire your mourning, your zeal for me.
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So that I rejoiced. Anymore even more and by the
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way, your your brothers and your.
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Sisters, God. Wants to use to comfort you and
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sometimes we get so wrapped up in our.
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Difficulty We push people away, or we push a brother away, or we
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push a sister away because we're so wrapped.
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Up in our pain, outside were conflicts, inside were fierce,
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and the Lord. Through the scripture Paul
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received. Comfort from the Lord.
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Because he. Allowed the news from Titus to
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comfort his heart. Don't be afraid to step into.
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The life. Of someone who's hurting.
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Especially a brother or sister. Take the initiative.
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Don't. I don't want to get involved.
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Oh, you know. It could.
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I could. Get in over my head.
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I have my. I have enough trouble of my own
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that's not. Jesus, that's you.
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And God has called you. To be a.
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Servant he came not to. Be served, but to serve and to
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give his. Life a ransom and if you're
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going to. Follow Jesus, that's your.
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Calling as well. Just saying.
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Titus is also mentioned in verses 13 to 15 of that Chapter
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7, and then also over in Second Timothy, Paul's last letter.
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Titus was still. With him at the very end and he
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went off to help there. It says in in verse 10.
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Well, verse 9. Chapter 4 of.
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Of Second Timothy, be diligent to come to me quickly, for Demas
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has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has
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departed for Thessalonica Creations.
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To Galatia Titus for. Dalmatia.
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Only Luke is with me. Dalmatia is along the western
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shore of the central Greece area.
28:22
There's 100 and one of those Dalmatians.
28:24
Yeah, OK, sorry, let's go on. OK #2 verses 5 through 9
28:34
spiritual. Character of the elders for
28:39
this. Reason I left you in.
28:40
Crete that you should set. In order the things that are
28:44
lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.
28:50
If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife having
28:54
faithful children, not accused of dissipation or
28:57
insubordination. For a Bishop.
29:01
Must be blameless as a steward of God, Not self willed, not
29:06
quick tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy
29:11
for money. But hospitable, A lover of what
29:15
is good sober. Minded, just wholly self
29:20
controlled, holding fast the. Faithful.
29:23
Word is, he's been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine
29:28
both to exhort and convict those who contradict verse. 5 is
29:38
what's called the. Statement of.
29:40
Purpose of this epistle. The epistles generally are
29:47
structured in a similar fashion You.
29:49
Have the 1st. Section is the introduction.
29:53
It includes who wrote it, maybe his position, his prayer
29:58
request, the giving of thanks, who it's written to.
30:01
That's the introduction, and usually right after the
30:06
introduction is something called the.
30:08
Statement of purpose that's. The main peg that the.
30:11
Rest of the letter. Hangs on.
30:14
It's a. It's the main statement and to
30:16
keep in context as you read. Through a letter.
30:19
You need to keep that statement of purpose always in mind,
30:23
because all that's being. Said relates to that.
30:27
First statement of purpose and then the third section of an.
30:32
Epistle is the body of the letter which just.
30:36
Explains why that statement of purpose is there.
30:39
And the last section is the closing.
30:41
Just that small, you know, say hi to this person.
30:45
Be sure you do this. And just closing off the letter,
30:49
you discover that when you go through inductive.
30:51
Bible. Study and it really helps.
30:53
You. Keep the letter in context, but
30:56
the reason I bring it up is. Because verse 5 is the.
30:59
Peg, upon which the whole letter hangs.
31:04
For this reason, I left you in Crete implied.
31:07
That he was there. That you should set an order,
31:11
the things that are lacking. And one of the first things to
31:15
do is appoint elders in every city, as I commanded you.
31:21
You know, the word set in order comes from one Greek word, and
31:26
it's only used here in the New Testament.
31:29
And it's a medical term. And it means to straighten a
31:33
crooked limb, To straighten out a crooked limb, it's a medical
31:40
term. When I read this statement, I
31:47
ask myself, Lord, what needs to be set in order in my life?
31:53
Are there things? That are out of sort.
31:57
Are there things that are out of joint?
32:00
Are there things that are crooked that need to be?
32:04
Set. Straight.
32:06
It doesn't mean to. Restore to the previous.
32:08
Condition. It means to set it in.
32:12
Order so that progress. Can be made in our life as we
32:20
examine our life before the. Lord, we can say Lord.
32:24
What needs to be set in order in my life?
32:28
Is it my marriage? Is it my time?
32:32
With you is it? How I run my business is it?
32:38
How? I have treated my neighbors.
32:42
Lord. Show me, are there things that
32:45
need to be set in order that are lacking in my life?
32:50
There's always things that are lacking.
32:51
You know that. But right now, right now, what
32:56
needs to be said in order? Nobody can tell you that.
33:01
But the Lord because as a Christian.
33:05
His spirit comes to live within you and can.
33:07
Bring you to those places. Saying this is the next step.
33:13
For Titus here What? Needed to be said in order is he
33:17
needed structure and leadership in the house churches in in.
33:20
Crete throughout Crete. And the very first thing that
33:24
was needed. Was to have elders appointed.
33:29
That's the first. Order of business.
33:32
This was a command by the way, and not a suggestion a command.
33:37
For the sake of those house churches, for the.
33:40
Sake of those congregations, to grow in the Lord, strong and
33:44
secure, there needed to be a structure and someone to
33:48
oversee. And protect like a shepherd.
33:53
In those small house churches and.
33:55
The rest of the chapter tells why.
33:58
And so. Then he goes about.
34:00
Bringing in the. Character of these elders to.
34:04
You know, Titus, take a. Look at the.
34:07
House churches and see and this is what you need to find and and
34:11
really blameless is the word that.
34:13
That is the umbrella over all the rest of the.
34:16
Descriptions Blameless Blameless is the overriding character.
34:23
It means not accused. No accusation can be proven
34:27
true, although accusations can come.
34:32
People hurting people hurt people, and a lot of times a
34:35
person in a place of. Authority as the first.
34:38
One you. Attack because that's what
34:39
you've. Done your whole life.
34:41
Because of how you were. Raised and all that.
34:44
You're just so incredulous about anybody in a position of
34:48
authority and they're guilty until proven innocent, and our
34:52
society has done that to us maybe.
34:54
How we were raised. Has done that to us.
34:59
But. A blameless man is someone that
35:02
even though there's an accusation, it doesn't stick
35:05
because his manner of life has been proven and that takes time
35:11
Yes, we can be accused as a matter of fact, Satan and the
35:15
very word Satan means accuser in revelation chapter 1210, John
35:22
writes then I heard a loud. Voice.
35:24
Saying in heaven now salvation and strength and the Kingdom of
35:29
our God and the. Power of his Christ has.
35:32
Come, and the accuser of our brethren, who accused them
35:37
before. Our God.
35:38
Day and night has been cast down.
35:43
Do you realize that that? Satan is an enemy.
35:47
Of your soul, if you, especially if you've.
35:50
Surrendered your life to Christ and he he throws up accusations
35:55
day and night against you. But we have an advocate with
36:00
the. Father Jesus Christ the
36:02
Righteous. And he always knocks down those
36:06
accused. Praise God for Jesus, our high
36:08
priest. If I had to stand on my own.
36:11
Works. I'd be toast.
36:15
So what's the 1st? Description of a blameless man.
36:20
Look at his family. That's that.
36:23
That's what he says. Husband of one wife, having
36:26
faithful children, not accused of disservation or
36:28
insubordination. Look at his family.
36:33
Paul said the same thing to Timothy in.
36:35
Chapter 3, verses 4 and. Five, an elder is one who rules
36:39
his own house well, having his children in submission with all
36:43
reverence. For if a man does not know how
36:46
to rule his own house. How will he take care of the
36:49
Church of God? Why is this overlooked?
36:58
I've talked to a lot of. Churches and church.
37:00
Boards over the years because that's.
37:03
Part of our ministry and it saddens my.
37:07
Heart to see a church board just.
37:09
Wanting to get a warm body and the pulpit that never goes well.
37:21
No background checks, no check in references.
37:26
Oh, I heard him teach. And so that's what we want, man,
37:31
that's that's dangerous. And it's against Scripture
37:36
because. How does the guy live at?
37:39
Home. What's going on with his
37:41
marriage? What's going on with his family?
37:45
That's why. When my wife and I go around to
37:48
to. Try to help out pastors.
37:50
And wives. Her.
37:51
Part Jeannie's part is so important.
37:54
Because, you know, you talk to the wife, you hear the real.
37:57
Deal. Oh, the husband can just be, you
38:00
know, present this glowing story and then Jeannie talks to the
38:04
wife and, and all of a sudden it's like they're ready their
38:08
marriage. Is toast that they're ready to
38:10
give up? And then you present it to the
38:13
pastor and he goes well. Yeah, that is a problem.
38:15
Dude, are you kidding me? And so, you know, it's important
38:20
to approach them as a team because they are a team you.
38:24
And your spouse are a. Team, it's important to see.
38:28
It that way God is. Working with you together.
38:31
This is not a marriage counseling time.
38:33
This is. It's just a fact.
38:36
What's? Happening in his home and then
38:40
he says that a Bishop. Which is a word Episcopal.
38:44
And it just means that. The Office of the Overseer.
38:49
Must be blameless as a steward of.
38:51
God, a steward that's. The word we don't use much, a
38:57
steward is the. Head of a house.
38:59
Or proprietor that a proprietor has entrusted the management of
39:04
his. Affairs the care of the
39:07
receipts. And expenditures, and the duty
39:10
of dealing out the proper proportion to every other
39:13
servant, even to the children not yet of age.
39:18
A steward had to be faithful. And a person who's going to step
39:22
into that position to. Care for these?
39:24
Saints in these small congregations needed to be one
39:29
that had a sense that I am a steward of God and not just on
39:33
my own little gig. Because right after that he.
39:37
Says not self willed. And by the way, these five
39:41
descriptions here, not self willed, not quick tempered, not
39:44
given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money maybe.
39:49
That's how you were before. Christ and really.
39:53
All five of those are. Summed up in the word.
39:56
Self willed. You know you're the unholy
40:01
Trinity, me, myself and I. That's your life.
40:06
And then Christ brings you to a new understanding and a new
40:11
brokenness. Not everyone can navigate an
40:16
oversight position with humility.
40:19
Unfortunately, when a person enters the position of
40:23
oversight, it can unlock. The self will that was.
40:27
Lying dormant within the man. That's why you should wait.
40:33
And see. How they live over.
40:35
Time, which brings up just an important principle when you're
40:45
thinking about getting married. My my counsel to you is don't
40:56
rush into it and you might. Say Well, Pastor Bob, you.
41:00
Rushed into yours. I know I was.
41:02
I was. Not smart, but it's been. 55
41:07
years by the grace of. God and, and, and that's I mean,
41:13
that's her. That's on her and.
41:17
Don't rush into it because. Over time you get to see.
41:21
Who? The real.
41:22
Person is you need to see them when things don't go.
41:27
Right. How do they?
41:29
Respond when things don't go. Right.
41:33
Do they start? Throwing dishes around, Do they
41:36
start breaking holes in the wall?
41:40
Do they start getting angry and racing off in the car and
41:43
driving recklessly? I mean it takes time to find
41:47
this out. That's why it's important to.
41:49
Slow down in a relationship, even though it's like Star
41:53
Spangled Banner, you know, come on, you got to slow.
41:56
Down a bit. And just, you know, bring that
41:59
horse in and that's. Why we here at Calvary?
42:04
Recommend a six month waiting period before marriage so we can
42:09
with a third. Party help you go.
42:11
Through pre marriage counseling and and have accountability and
42:16
talk. Through those issues, because
42:19
those issues are super. Important when a third party
42:22
outside. Third party.
42:24
Challenges you on a situation. Because we talk about.
42:29
Family origins. We talk about communication.
42:33
We talk about the. What's the biblical role?
42:36
Of husband and wife, I mean. It's about 7 areas.
42:40
And it takes. A while to get through that.
42:43
And I've had certain ones where, I mean hasn't been very many,
42:46
but I can think of two right now.
42:49
Where we said. Run.
42:51
Don't do this. Are you kidding me?
42:53
This is wrong. I mean, how can you think?
42:55
About this, call it off, or at least hold it off for 30.
42:59
Five years. I mean, you know, we've got to
43:02
really get a handle on this. So anyway, let's go on going
43:11
further here. Verse 8 but hospitable.
43:16
A lover of what? Is good, sober, mindless, just
43:19
holy, self controlled? That's the fruit of the.
43:22
Spirit really it's just letting there's a witness of the.
43:25
Fruit of the Spirit. Flowing through his life and
43:28
then verse 9 so. Important because of what they.
43:31
Face in the culture holding. Fast, the faithful Word.
43:36
As he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine
43:41
both to exhort and convict those who contradict one of the
43:47
important positions of an. Overseer is to make sure that
43:53
there's. Sound, which is the Greek word
43:56
which means healthy sound, teaching in the.
44:03
Grace of God. Not in legalism, not in rules
44:08
and ordinances and demands, no. No, the grace of God, because
44:17
it's so easy to. Hijack a small congregation by.
44:22
Careless oversight. I'm I'm just watched it over the
44:26
years. Hospitable means fond of guests.
44:34
You don't avoid people, you interact with them.
44:37
A lover of what is. Good, self controlled.
44:40
And by the way, self-control from the Holy Spirit is
44:44
different than willpower. Self-control is a fruit of the
44:49
Holy Spirit. And it's.
44:51
A byproduct of God's. Love and it's very different
44:54
from willpower because it comes from a different source.
44:58
It comes from heaven, heavenly willpower.
45:04
That means you keep your mouth shut when the Lord says don't
45:07
say anything. That means you step into it when
45:12
the Lord is saying it's time self controlled by the spirit
45:21
and he has to be courageous because he's going to have to
45:24
confront things that are false. He just can't say, well, I, I
45:28
don't want to lose my friends. No, stop it you.
45:30
You have to confront it at times.
45:33
If because these sheep are. Important to God, they're not
45:37
even your. Sheep.
45:38
They're his sheep. Well, let's go on now to the
45:41
third section, verses 10 to 16 for for there are many
45:48
insubordinate. Both idle.
45:51
Talkers and deceivers, especially those of the
45:55
circumcision of the of the Jewish religion, whose mouths
45:59
must be. Stopped Who?
46:01
Subvert. Whole households house churches,
46:04
teaching things which they ought not for the sake of dishonest
46:08
gain, one of them a prophet of their own.
46:12
Said Cretans are always liars, evil.
46:15
Beasts. Lazy gluttons.
46:18
This testimony is true. OK, Paul.
46:21
Yeah. He was there.
46:22
He saw. It these people haven't changed,
46:24
this is the culture. Therefore, rebuke them, which
46:29
simply means. To say stop it, that's what.
46:32
Rebuke means rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the
46:37
faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men
46:42
who turn from the truth to the pure all things are pure but to.
46:48
Those who are defiled. And unbelieving nothing.
46:52
Is pure but. Even their mind and conscience.
46:56
Are defiled, they profess. To know God, but in works they
47:01
deny him being abominable, disobedient and.
47:06
Disqualified for every good work.
47:11
Who's this? Prophet of their owns that gave
47:14
this report of the Cretans. Well, many Bible commentators
47:18
said that it was a reference to a comment that was made by a guy
47:22
named Epimenides in the 6th century BC, and it was his
47:27
summary of the whole Cretan culture that they were deceitful
47:33
in business. They had that.
47:35
Reputation not only in business but in private.
47:38
Always looking for ways. To get out of work.
47:42
And you know, when you grow up in that kind of culture, you end
47:46
up being. Impacted by it, it starts.
47:48
Becoming part of how you. Process your.
47:50
World, just like in the culture we live in right now.
47:55
Boy, how easy it is. Just to take upon the morays of
48:00
the culture as something that God accepts.
48:04
And I tell you what. This is the rule.
48:08
This is the standard by which we understand the things that are
48:13
definitely true and the things. That God looks at as.
48:16
True and the things that. He looks at his.
48:18
Faults and sin Now in this last statement where?
48:26
It says to the. Pure.
48:28
All things are pure but to. Those who are defiled.
48:32
And unbelieving. Nothing is pure.
48:35
Because their. Very mind and conscience.
48:38
Is defiled God's. Given each of each human being a
48:45
conscience. We're not creatures of instinct.
48:49
God's given us a conscience. Because we're created.
48:52
In the image of God, and even as a young child, when you go and
48:58
steal something and hide it, your conscience is still tender.
49:04
But after a while. Living in sin again and again
49:06
and again and again, you can so harden your conscience that it
49:11
becomes over overridden. With scar tissue.
49:18
You might say so no longer do you feel the poke of what's
49:25
wrong? I know that when I.
49:28
Have to play guitar. I've got to.
49:30
Spend time working on the tips of my fingers.
49:34
I, I, I was. Trained to take your pick and
49:37
just poke your fingertips. Just keep poking all day long.
49:41
All day long and build up. Calluses so that.
49:45
When you play that chord on on steel strings and you have to
49:48
press down, you can't feel it, it doesn't hurt.
49:53
Because the callous has been. Built up and it's.
49:56
Possible to have a calloused? Conscience seared with a hot.
50:01
Iron as it's described. But the good news is, God can.
50:07
Heal a calloused. Heart.
50:10
If he can heal leprosy, he can heal your heart.
50:14
So maybe this is a description? Of your life before Christ or
50:18
your life. Right now, but I want to tell
50:21
you God wants to heal your heart.
50:25
If you'll let him. He's not going to, you know,
50:29
throw a grenade in and. Blow you away so that.
50:32
You'd come to him. He'll knock on the door.
50:37
Will you open the door to him? Will you let him heal your
50:40
heart? Because that's where it has.
50:41
To start on the inside, outside were conflicts inside.
50:48
Were fears. Jesus wants to calm the storm in
50:52
your heart. But you have to.
50:56
You have to let him in because he's life.
51:02
I am the way, the truth and the life, and nobody comes to the
51:06
Father except by me. So as we close here.
51:10
This, this evening, I just want to ask you, have you, have you
51:15
opened your heart? To Jesus, are you still?
51:17
Trying to do things on your own. And then there's we talked about
51:21
a lot of things here tonight. Are you born again?
51:27
Have you put your? Trust and faith in Jesus and Him
51:30
alone, not on your goodness, not on your works.
51:35
Are you a child of God tonight? So we're going to close in
51:39
prayer and I'm going to make an invitation here because you
51:44
might just be coming in here tonight for the first time, and
51:47
this is the first time you've heard these things.
51:50
And I'll give you an invitation and you can respond.
51:55
To the Lord Jesus. Trying to heal your conscience?
51:58
Trying to. Heal your life, let's pray.
52:04
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word tonight.
52:08
So much is there in that first chapter.
52:11
We've just skimmed the surface. Really.
52:15
But you were talking to. US Lord.
52:24
Father God, I ask you by the Holy Spirit.
52:29
To move upon the hearts of any here tonight that have not yet
52:35
surrendered their life to you through your son.
52:43
God, you're the healer. You're the healer of the.
52:47
Broken heart, you bind up the wounds.
52:52
You heal the sealed. Seared conscience and as we
52:58
continue to pray as a congregation, if if I'm talking
53:02
about you tonight, it's because the Lord knows you'd be here,
53:09
but you need to respond to him. You need to open the door, and
53:13
tonight as we pray, if it's your time to open the door to Jesus
53:19
and let Him be your Lord and Savior, I want you to go ahead
53:24
and stand because I want to lead you in prayer.
53:31
Is there anyone here tonight? It's your time to open the door.
53:36
And let Jesus be the Lord of your.
53:39
Life, we want to give you that opportunity by standing.
53:44
It's your first act of. Surrender.
53:46
OK, back over here, over here as well.
53:51
There'll be pastors that'll be. Coming up to you and wanting to
53:55
pray with. You so that's just part part of
53:57
what we do here at Calvary because we care about you back
54:00
over here as well. Those of you that have.
54:09
Stood I'd like you to follow me in this prayer and speak.
54:13
It out loud if you. Would and just say, my Father in
54:17
heaven, I ask you to forgive me of all the sin of my life.
54:28
I want to stop this fighting against you.
54:35
I need you to heal my heart. I want to believe on Jesus, your
54:43
Son, that he died for me. That he rose.
54:50
Again on the third day, send your Holy Spirit into my life
54:58
right now. Make yourself real to me.
55:08
I trust you with this. Prayer in Jesus name, Amen.
55:17
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible study
55:20
delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
55:23
prayer. Call us at 87730 grace that's
55:28
877-304-7223. To listen to this message in its
55:34
integrity or to join us for our live stream services, visit us
55:38
online at Calvary Co dot Church or download our free Calvary
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Church app. Be blessed as you worship Jesus
55:46
this week.