186 00:22:37.985 --> 00:22:40.565 Hey, we're gonna go ahead and get rolling into things. 187 00:22:40.745 --> 00:22:42.165 Uh, so if you have your Bible, go ahead 188 00:22:42.165 --> 00:22:43.565 and open up to the book of Titus. 189 00:22:43.705 --> 00:22:45.645 Uh, we are gonna continue in this series that we've been in 190 00:22:45.645 --> 00:22:47.125 for the past, uh, few weeks, 191 00:22:47.125 --> 00:22:49.245 really since the summer got here called Field Notes. 192 00:22:49.665 --> 00:22:51.125 Um, if you are looking through your Bible, 193 00:22:51.605 --> 00:22:52.925 Titus man, it's a tiny little thing. 194 00:22:52.995 --> 00:22:54.085 It's really easy to lose it. 195 00:22:54.085 --> 00:22:55.965 So I'm gonna give you a little bit of a pro tip here. 196 00:22:56.385 --> 00:22:57.845 Uh, it's in the New Testament, 197 00:22:57.845 --> 00:22:59.325 so it's easier to find it from the back. 198 00:22:59.465 --> 00:23:00.645 So start from Revelation 199 00:23:00.645 --> 00:23:01.805 and kind of start flipping your way through. 200 00:23:02.105 --> 00:23:06.045 Here's like a little like Bible veteran trick for you, okay? 201 00:23:06.305 --> 00:23:08.485 Uh, Paul has all of his letters, um, 202 00:23:08.545 --> 00:23:09.445 and then there's a bunch 203 00:23:09.445 --> 00:23:10.645 of 'em that start with the letter T. 204 00:23:10.645 --> 00:23:12.485 So there's first and second Thessalonians, first 205 00:23:12.485 --> 00:23:14.005 and second Timothy Titus. 206 00:23:14.005 --> 00:23:15.965 It's in the middle of all the, the T books. 207 00:23:15.965 --> 00:23:17.485 So go ahead and start flipping around for that. 208 00:23:17.785 --> 00:23:19.285 Uh, and if you still need more time, 209 00:23:19.425 --> 00:23:22.205 let me stall a little bit more by catching everybody up 210 00:23:22.205 --> 00:23:24.845 to speed if you haven't been following along with us so far. 211 00:23:24.945 --> 00:23:28.285 So we've been walking through the book of Titus slowly verse 212 00:23:28.305 --> 00:23:31.445 by verse, uh, intentionally to see what's going on here. 213 00:23:31.665 --> 00:23:34.805 Um, this is a letter written by a man named Paul, who 214 00:23:34.805 --> 00:23:37.645 after an encounter with Jesus was sent out into the world 215 00:23:37.665 --> 00:23:41.165 to go and, uh, spread the gospel, he's, uh, 216 00:23:41.165 --> 00:23:43.765 sent out on a mission to spread the gospel to the people 217 00:23:43.825 --> 00:23:47.085 who didn't know that these rules now apply to them to go 218 00:23:47.085 --> 00:23:49.645 to the Gentiles, the people who were considered outsiders 219 00:23:49.645 --> 00:23:51.205 for so long, who said, yeah, even you, 220 00:23:51.505 --> 00:23:54.205 the gospel is good news for you as well. 221 00:23:54.225 --> 00:23:56.405 And so he goes all around the Mediterranean region, 222 00:23:56.515 --> 00:23:58.445 he's setting up these different Jesus communities. 223 00:23:58.785 --> 00:24:01.765 And, uh, upon visiting a place called Crete, he says, Hey, 224 00:24:01.765 --> 00:24:02.965 this place is gonna need a little bit of work. 225 00:24:03.145 --> 00:24:04.565 So what he does is, uh, 226 00:24:04.625 --> 00:24:06.845 he leaves a young man named Titus there, 227 00:24:06.845 --> 00:24:09.765 and he says, Titus, listen, I see some pitfalls. 228 00:24:10.405 --> 00:24:13.565 I see some potential red flags in this Jesus community. 229 00:24:13.575 --> 00:24:15.325 Which honestly, I think the easiest way 230 00:24:15.325 --> 00:24:17.805 to describe it is they're saying they're Christians, 231 00:24:17.825 --> 00:24:19.445 but their behavior doesn't really line up. 232 00:24:20.235 --> 00:24:22.365 They're claiming that they're followers of Jesus, 233 00:24:22.465 --> 00:24:23.805 but I'm seeing all this stuff, man, 234 00:24:23.805 --> 00:24:25.605 that if they keep taking this path, 235 00:24:25.755 --> 00:24:27.845 they're not gonna end up in a good place. 236 00:24:27.845 --> 00:24:30.525 So he says, Titus, I want you to go to Crete. 237 00:24:30.525 --> 00:24:31.845 I want you to spend some time there 238 00:24:32.105 --> 00:24:33.965 and I want you to bring some order 239 00:24:34.065 --> 00:24:35.165 to the church that's there. 240 00:24:35.185 --> 00:24:36.565 And so, over the past couple of weeks, 241 00:24:36.565 --> 00:24:38.805 we've been looking at all the instructions that Paul gives 242 00:24:38.825 --> 00:24:41.605 to Titus and all of those instructions, uh, 243 00:24:41.635 --> 00:24:44.765 some 30 some odd rules and decrees. 244 00:24:45.145 --> 00:24:47.285 Um, lead us to what we're gonna look at today. 245 00:24:47.865 --> 00:24:51.005 So it says Titus chapter two, verses 11 through 15. 246 00:24:51.145 --> 00:24:52.885 I'm gonna go ahead and read the entire chunk. 247 00:24:53.005 --> 00:24:54.965 I am in the ESV translation if you wanna follow 248 00:24:54.975 --> 00:24:56.925 along, but let's go for it. 249 00:24:57.145 --> 00:24:59.605 It says, for the grace of God has appeared 250 00:25:00.605 --> 00:25:03.605 bringing salvation for all people, training us 251 00:25:03.625 --> 00:25:06.245 to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, 252 00:25:06.345 --> 00:25:08.805 and to live self-controlled, upright, 253 00:25:08.905 --> 00:25:11.245 and godly lives in the present age, waiting 254 00:25:11.305 --> 00:25:14.045 for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory 255 00:25:14.065 --> 00:25:17.405 of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself 256 00:25:17.585 --> 00:25:20.525 for us to redeem us from all lawlessness 257 00:25:20.705 --> 00:25:24.205 and to purify for himself a people for his own possession 258 00:25:24.205 --> 00:25:25.525 who are zealous for good works. 259 00:25:26.915 --> 00:25:28.125 That was all one sentence. 260 00:25:29.645 --> 00:25:30.925 I dunno if you noticed, there weren't any 261 00:25:30.925 --> 00:25:32.365 periods in there the entire time. 262 00:25:32.465 --> 00:25:36.085 And that's because the ESV takes Paul's original Greek 263 00:25:36.505 --> 00:25:39.445 and it tries to, um, include the same way 264 00:25:39.445 --> 00:25:41.005 that the language compounds on each other. 265 00:25:41.105 --> 00:25:43.245 So there's a lot of things that Paul talks about here. 266 00:25:43.245 --> 00:25:44.325 They're all connected, 267 00:25:44.585 --> 00:25:45.605 and we're gonna see that in a minute 268 00:25:45.605 --> 00:25:46.885 as we continue to walk through this. 269 00:25:46.885 --> 00:25:49.405 And he closes out this little chunk with verse 15 270 00:25:49.405 --> 00:25:51.965 where he says, declare these things exhort 271 00:25:51.965 --> 00:25:53.565 and rebuke with all authority. 272 00:25:53.905 --> 00:25:56.845 Let no one disregard you. Let me pray for us. 273 00:25:56.845 --> 00:25:58.725 Father, thank you for your word. 274 00:25:59.545 --> 00:26:02.365 Um, this is such a rich piece of content 275 00:26:02.395 --> 00:26:03.765 that we're gonna be going through today. 276 00:26:04.265 --> 00:26:06.525 Um, and so, Lord, I just pray that you, uh, 277 00:26:06.525 --> 00:26:08.365 that your word would resonate with us. 278 00:26:08.945 --> 00:26:11.805 My prayer is that we would, uh, glean upon this passage 279 00:26:11.905 --> 00:26:13.965 of text and that it would transform us, 280 00:26:13.965 --> 00:26:16.365 that you would open our eyes to, to the goodness 281 00:26:16.505 --> 00:26:18.325 of your grace and of your love today. 282 00:26:19.025 --> 00:26:20.205 Um, and Lord, I pray 283 00:26:20.205 --> 00:26:21.645 that we would just find encouragement here. 284 00:26:21.905 --> 00:26:24.605 We love you. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 285 00:26:26.145 --> 00:26:29.485 Um, ministry is not 286 00:26:30.445 --> 00:26:34.605 a lucrative career path, especially when you're part-time. 287 00:26:35.985 --> 00:26:39.005 So when I first got started in ministry right outta high 288 00:26:39.005 --> 00:26:42.245 school, uh, the church, that was my home church, you know, 289 00:26:42.245 --> 00:26:45.245 they, they took me on as a, in a part-time role, uh, 290 00:26:45.385 --> 00:26:47.245 to help out with the middle school ministry there. 291 00:26:47.425 --> 00:26:49.725 And so I did that, but I couldn't really make ends meet 292 00:26:49.725 --> 00:26:51.405 with just that part-time church job. 293 00:26:51.545 --> 00:26:54.165 So, uh, I got a job also serving 294 00:26:54.225 --> 00:26:55.605 tables at the Cheesecake Factory. 295 00:26:56.545 --> 00:26:58.285 It was great. Lemme just go ahead and throw that out there. 296 00:26:58.425 --> 00:27:01.525 Uh, I've been outta the food service industry for a while. 297 00:27:01.865 --> 00:27:04.005 Um, but if I'm honest, like you can even ask my wife about 298 00:27:04.005 --> 00:27:05.605 this, there's still times where I kind of miss it. 299 00:27:06.185 --> 00:27:08.285 Um, and the reason why I kind of miss it is 300 00:27:08.285 --> 00:27:10.805 because I genuinely enjoyed like being in the trenches 301 00:27:11.235 --> 00:27:12.525 with my, my coworkers, 302 00:27:12.545 --> 00:27:14.285 the other servers, the other bartenders. 303 00:27:14.285 --> 00:27:15.925 You know, like there was something about like, man, 304 00:27:15.925 --> 00:27:17.005 you felt like you were going to war 305 00:27:17.385 --> 00:27:18.845 during like the dinner rush. 306 00:27:18.905 --> 00:27:20.285 You know what I mean? And so, uh, 307 00:27:20.285 --> 00:27:21.965 if you've never been a part of the food service industry 308 00:27:21.965 --> 00:27:23.085 before, let me explain to 309 00:27:23.085 --> 00:27:24.205 you a little bit of what it's like. 310 00:27:24.275 --> 00:27:26.085 Okay, you're working, you're doing your thing, 311 00:27:26.085 --> 00:27:28.805 and then somebody, let's just say you, for example, comes in 312 00:27:29.105 --> 00:27:30.205 and you sit down at a table 313 00:27:30.265 --> 00:27:31.485 and you find what you want on the menu. 314 00:27:31.585 --> 00:27:33.165 And then you start saying, Hey, I want this, 315 00:27:33.165 --> 00:27:34.165 but I wanna change this. 316 00:27:34.245 --> 00:27:35.525 I wanna change this. I wanna add that. 317 00:27:35.565 --> 00:27:38.085 I wanna take this out. And as a server who's worked there 318 00:27:38.085 --> 00:27:39.805 for a long time, gonna say, Hey, listen, I, 319 00:27:39.885 --> 00:27:40.845 I know you wanna do all that stuff, 320 00:27:40.845 --> 00:27:41.965 but I don't really recommend it. 321 00:27:41.965 --> 00:27:43.165 Like, uh, people have done that 322 00:27:43.165 --> 00:27:44.205 before and they don't really like it. 323 00:27:44.205 --> 00:27:45.725 And you just say, Hey, listen, I know what I want. 324 00:27:46.025 --> 00:27:47.125 Can you just gimme that? Okay, 325 00:27:47.125 --> 00:27:48.645 we put it in, we go back to the kitchen. 326 00:27:48.745 --> 00:27:50.485 Hey, just so you know, I know I rang it in this way, 327 00:27:50.485 --> 00:27:51.365 but they wanted some 328 00:27:51.365 --> 00:27:52.805 modifications, some tweaks and all this sort of stuff. 329 00:27:52.805 --> 00:27:54.045 And they're like, all right, we'll do it. And then we bring 330 00:27:54.045 --> 00:27:55.925 it back out to the table, put it in front of you, 331 00:27:55.945 --> 00:27:57.525 you take a bite of it and say, I don't like that. 332 00:27:57.545 --> 00:27:59.325 And then you send it back. So we go back 333 00:27:59.325 --> 00:28:00.725 and we spend the next 30 minutes talking 334 00:28:00.725 --> 00:28:01.925 to some line cook saying, Hey, 335 00:28:01.925 --> 00:28:03.565 can you please fix this order for us? 336 00:28:03.805 --> 00:28:04.805 I know you got a long list of 337 00:28:04.805 --> 00:28:05.805 tickets, but we need to fix this. 338 00:28:05.895 --> 00:28:07.085 These people are waiting on food. 339 00:28:07.225 --> 00:28:08.325 We finally get the fixed order. 340 00:28:08.325 --> 00:28:09.965 We bring it back out, we set it on your table, 341 00:28:10.115 --> 00:28:14.045 then you don't tip, repeat that like 30 or 40 times. 342 00:28:15.105 --> 00:28:17.645 And then when the shift is over, all of the workers 343 00:28:17.905 --> 00:28:19.885 as the food service industry go to a bar 344 00:28:20.225 --> 00:28:21.525 and we talk about you. 345 00:28:23.465 --> 00:28:26.445 And we exchange stories about can you believe this crazy 346 00:28:26.445 --> 00:28:29.525 woman at table 47 or this obnoxious guy at table 53? 347 00:28:29.585 --> 00:28:31.085 And we share those things. And if I'm 348 00:28:31.085 --> 00:28:32.365 honest, I kind of miss it. 349 00:28:34.245 --> 00:28:35.565 I kind of miss it, not just 350 00:28:35.565 --> 00:28:39.765 because of how therapeutic that time was at times, but also 351 00:28:39.765 --> 00:28:41.125 because it was an opportunity for me 352 00:28:41.125 --> 00:28:42.485 to share the gospel with people. 353 00:28:42.835 --> 00:28:44.365 Like honestly, somebody comes out 354 00:28:44.365 --> 00:28:46.005 and they're, they're beat down, they're worn out, 355 00:28:46.005 --> 00:28:48.325 and they're like, man, I just had the worst day of my life. 356 00:28:48.325 --> 00:28:49.445 And then that kind of rolls into me 357 00:28:49.445 --> 00:28:50.805 and I just had the worst week of my life. 358 00:28:50.805 --> 00:28:52.085 And they would open up about things 359 00:28:52.105 --> 00:28:53.645 and I would use that as an opportunity 360 00:28:53.945 --> 00:28:55.285 to talk to people about Jesus. 361 00:28:55.345 --> 00:28:56.885 And so we would sit down at these places 362 00:28:56.985 --> 00:28:58.565 and I wouldn't judge, I would just listen 363 00:28:58.705 --> 00:29:01.125 and I would pay especially close attention. 364 00:29:01.225 --> 00:29:03.405 And there was one guy who I worked with who, uh, 365 00:29:03.465 --> 00:29:04.565 I'm gonna need your, your help for this. 366 00:29:04.645 --> 00:29:05.965 I don't want to use his real name. 367 00:29:05.985 --> 00:29:08.405 So can somebody just shout out like a random male name? 368 00:29:08.735 --> 00:29:11.445 Steve. Steve, all right. He knows the Steve. 369 00:29:12.025 --> 00:29:14.085 Uh, I would sit down with Steve 370 00:29:14.085 --> 00:29:15.125 and Steve would start talking 371 00:29:15.865 --> 00:29:19.525 and uh, he would just tell me about the latest shenanigans. 372 00:29:19.525 --> 00:29:20.885 He would tell me about the last week of his life 373 00:29:20.905 --> 00:29:22.685 and how he's dug himself into some 374 00:29:22.685 --> 00:29:23.805 sort of hole or something like that. 375 00:29:23.805 --> 00:29:24.805 And I'd be like, man, you know, I, 376 00:29:24.965 --> 00:29:26.325 I really think you ought to try Jesus out. 377 00:29:26.325 --> 00:29:27.445 You should try to find a church. If you 378 00:29:27.445 --> 00:29:28.525 wanna come to church with me, you can. 379 00:29:28.545 --> 00:29:29.845 He goes, no, no, thank you. 380 00:29:30.185 --> 00:29:31.725 Uh, but he was a really smart guy. 381 00:29:32.065 --> 00:29:34.525 He was really philosophical guy, a deep thinker. 382 00:29:34.985 --> 00:29:39.005 Um, but he kind of had this like, he was one of those people 383 00:29:39.005 --> 00:29:40.365 that would describe himself as, 384 00:29:40.545 --> 00:29:42.285 uh, spiritual but not religious. 385 00:29:43.225 --> 00:29:45.405 So he kind of had this like mosaic 386 00:29:45.405 --> 00:29:48.445 where he had taken decent things from all these different 387 00:29:48.605 --> 00:29:49.685 religions and pieced them together. 388 00:29:49.685 --> 00:29:52.005 And that's kind of how he tried to shape his worldview. 389 00:29:52.005 --> 00:29:54.805 But as I continued to listen to Steve over the weeks 390 00:29:54.825 --> 00:29:56.245 and months and years that we worked together, 391 00:29:56.525 --> 00:29:57.845 I started catching on to something 392 00:29:58.805 --> 00:30:00.405 specifically when he would talk about the 393 00:30:00.405 --> 00:30:01.485 advice he gets from his mom. 394 00:30:01.505 --> 00:30:03.485 He would tell me about some who he dug himself into, 395 00:30:03.665 --> 00:30:05.685 and then he would say something like, he goes, man, 396 00:30:05.685 --> 00:30:07.845 you know, you know, I, I I've just tried 397 00:30:07.845 --> 00:30:09.045 to stop making promises. 398 00:30:09.565 --> 00:30:11.005 I just wanna be a man of my word. 399 00:30:11.005 --> 00:30:13.925 It's like my mom always used to tell me, she said, you need 400 00:30:13.925 --> 00:30:15.525 to be the type of man that lets your yes be 401 00:30:15.525 --> 00:30:16.605 yes and your no be no. 402 00:30:16.605 --> 00:30:17.685 And I go, man, Steve, I think 403 00:30:17.685 --> 00:30:18.925 that's a great piece of advice. 404 00:30:19.705 --> 00:30:20.605 And then another week we 405 00:30:20.605 --> 00:30:21.725 go by and he starts sharing something. 406 00:30:21.725 --> 00:30:23.845 He says, man, you know, I, I just wanna be all in. 407 00:30:24.465 --> 00:30:26.965 You know, it's like my mom always says, she says, 408 00:30:26.965 --> 00:30:29.245 you should be the type of person that's either hot or cold, 409 00:30:29.245 --> 00:30:30.565 but you shouldn't be lukewarm. 410 00:30:32.245 --> 00:30:34.125 I was like, man, that sounds really familiar. 411 00:30:34.125 --> 00:30:35.205 There was another time he says, man, 412 00:30:35.205 --> 00:30:38.005 I just wanna treat people better than they treat me. 413 00:30:38.005 --> 00:30:39.285 You know, it's like my mom says, like, 414 00:30:39.285 --> 00:30:41.325 if somebody slaps me on the cheek, you know what she says? 415 00:30:41.385 --> 00:30:42.645 She says, I should turn the other cheek. 416 00:30:43.665 --> 00:30:45.005 She says that if somebody asks me to go 417 00:30:45.005 --> 00:30:46.285 with them a mile, I should go with them too. 418 00:30:46.285 --> 00:30:50.645 And then one day I just go, Steve, is your mom a Christian? 419 00:30:51.505 --> 00:30:52.645 And he goes, yeah, how'd you know? 420 00:30:53.105 --> 00:30:57.925 I'm like, dude, your mom's been stealing all 421 00:30:57.925 --> 00:30:59.605 of Jesus's best content your entire 422 00:30:59.635 --> 00:31:00.805 life and feeding it to you. 423 00:31:00.865 --> 00:31:04.205 And he was mind blown. He genuinely had no idea. 424 00:31:04.305 --> 00:31:05.445 And it was so funny to me 425 00:31:05.445 --> 00:31:07.125 because he would apply these things 426 00:31:07.145 --> 00:31:08.525 and he would actually reap some 427 00:31:08.525 --> 00:31:09.685 of the positive benefits from them, 428 00:31:09.785 --> 00:31:11.325 but he wanted nothing to do with Jesus. 429 00:31:11.465 --> 00:31:12.645 And so I kind of sat back 430 00:31:12.645 --> 00:31:14.085 and I watched his life from a distance 431 00:31:14.085 --> 00:31:16.125 and I just thought, man, he's applying this stuff, 432 00:31:16.125 --> 00:31:17.445 but why is his life not changing? 433 00:31:17.505 --> 00:31:19.045 And I realized over time it's 434 00:31:19.045 --> 00:31:20.765 because, uh, Steve was doing a 435 00:31:20.765 --> 00:31:21.805 real, I'm gonna use his real name. 436 00:31:22.015 --> 00:31:25.005 Steve was doing a really good job of taking the rules 437 00:31:25.025 --> 00:31:27.565 of the Bible and applying to them li his life without 438 00:31:27.565 --> 00:31:28.645 the relationship with Jesus. 439 00:31:29.835 --> 00:31:32.045 What Steve was doing was he's saying, Hey, listen, 440 00:31:32.245 --> 00:31:34.965 I would love to live a life that kind of looks like Jesus, 441 00:31:35.065 --> 00:31:36.365 but I don't want Jesus to be the 442 00:31:36.365 --> 00:31:37.405 one to teach me how to live. 443 00:31:38.425 --> 00:31:42.005 And what I learned was is that someone can follow the rules 444 00:31:42.225 --> 00:31:45.285 of the Bible, they can follow the rules of Christianity 445 00:31:45.545 --> 00:31:48.365 and actually reap the positive benefits of some of 446 00:31:48.365 --> 00:31:52.045 that stuff, but still not have a deep level of heart change. 447 00:31:53.305 --> 00:31:55.605 And what I realized was, is that rules 448 00:31:56.435 --> 00:31:59.965 without relationship will almost always lead to rebellion. 449 00:32:00.635 --> 00:32:02.125 Because for him it was all about, 450 00:32:02.125 --> 00:32:03.165 well, let me just try the rules. 451 00:32:03.165 --> 00:32:05.085 Well, the moment it feels like the rules aren't good enough, 452 00:32:05.085 --> 00:32:06.405 well then he's just gonna try something else. 453 00:32:06.535 --> 00:32:10.605 Right? Now, there's actually a term for this. 454 00:32:10.665 --> 00:32:12.565 The reason why he was able to apply some of this stuff 455 00:32:12.565 --> 00:32:14.565 and actually reap some of the benefits for from this, 456 00:32:14.755 --> 00:32:16.125 it's called common grace. 457 00:32:16.185 --> 00:32:18.845 Can you say that with me? Say common grace, common grace. 458 00:32:19.065 --> 00:32:21.885 Common grace is just the goodness of God 459 00:32:22.475 --> 00:32:23.965 that pours out to all people. 460 00:32:23.995 --> 00:32:26.605 It's the reason why right now you can go on YouTube 461 00:32:26.785 --> 00:32:28.605 and find, uh, someone 462 00:32:28.945 --> 00:32:32.645 who has an entire YouTube channel dedicated to talking about 463 00:32:32.665 --> 00:32:35.685 how much they hate God and how God's not real, uh, 464 00:32:35.705 --> 00:32:37.605 and how religion is the worst thing that's ever happened. 465 00:32:37.665 --> 00:32:39.805 But common grace is God saying, yeah, 466 00:32:39.865 --> 00:32:41.245 I'm still gonna give you breath in your lungs 467 00:32:41.245 --> 00:32:42.285 to wake up and see another day. 468 00:32:43.265 --> 00:32:45.765 Common grace is the reason why both the just 469 00:32:45.945 --> 00:32:48.165 and the unjust can experience any sort 470 00:32:48.165 --> 00:32:50.365 of good in this world is because God is so good 471 00:32:50.425 --> 00:32:53.245 and he's so loving that even for rebellious children, 472 00:32:53.305 --> 00:32:56.045 he still pours out his love on all of us. 473 00:32:57.395 --> 00:33:01.045 It's a common grace that applies to everybody. 474 00:33:02.025 --> 00:33:04.765 And it's this grace, this goodness of God, this, 475 00:33:04.835 --> 00:33:08.565 this unearned goodness of God that Paul arrives 476 00:33:08.625 --> 00:33:11.925 to When we get to Titus chapter two, verses 11 through 15 477 00:33:11.925 --> 00:33:14.245 that we looked at, and this is the reason why I believe 478 00:33:14.245 --> 00:33:17.045 that this chunk of text is essential 479 00:33:17.105 --> 00:33:18.765 to understanding the rest of the letter. 480 00:33:18.955 --> 00:33:22.125 Because if you're not careful, you'll read the rest 481 00:33:22.125 --> 00:33:24.605 of Titus thinking, man, there's a whole lot of do, do, do. 482 00:33:25.465 --> 00:33:26.525 But what's happening is, 483 00:33:26.545 --> 00:33:28.565 is Paul is more than likely assuming, Hey, 484 00:33:28.605 --> 00:33:29.605 I know this guy Titus. 485 00:33:30.005 --> 00:33:31.765 I know that he knows the gospel. 486 00:33:32.005 --> 00:33:33.405 I know that he knows the truth about Jesus. 487 00:33:33.425 --> 00:33:35.325 So there's actually probably some assumed 488 00:33:35.325 --> 00:33:36.565 knowledge about Titus. 489 00:33:36.565 --> 00:33:39.405 So when he is, gives him all of these instructions 490 00:33:39.405 --> 00:33:40.725 and gives him all of these commands, 491 00:33:40.865 --> 00:33:43.965 he knows there's a deep, rich theology about the goodness 492 00:33:43.965 --> 00:33:45.965 of God and the grace of Jesus that informs this. 493 00:33:46.065 --> 00:33:50.005 But because Paul has been so, uh, deeply enveloped 494 00:33:50.025 --> 00:33:52.045 by the goodness of God, he can't help 495 00:33:52.065 --> 00:33:53.925 but for the gospel to spill out again. 496 00:33:53.985 --> 00:33:56.405 So after giving these 30 some odd commands, 497 00:33:56.545 --> 00:33:59.725 he starts off this portion of text with this line. 498 00:34:00.985 --> 00:34:04.525 He says, for the grace of God has appeared. 499 00:34:05.335 --> 00:34:08.225 Who's he talking about? He's talking about Jesus. 500 00:34:09.515 --> 00:34:13.865 Jesus is the grace of God who has now appeared to all of us. 501 00:34:13.885 --> 00:34:15.585 And this is so important to recognize. 502 00:34:15.585 --> 00:34:17.545 And I think this is the thing that Steve was missing 503 00:34:18.095 --> 00:34:19.985 because just like Steve, 504 00:34:20.085 --> 00:34:23.225 before Jesus arrived on the scene, the world was just full 505 00:34:23.225 --> 00:34:25.065 of people trying their best and failing 506 00:34:26.245 --> 00:34:27.985 before Jesus arrived on the scene. 507 00:34:28.045 --> 00:34:30.705 We have people who thought they were doing a pretty decent 508 00:34:30.775 --> 00:34:34.545 good job, excuse me, until they receive the law. 509 00:34:35.725 --> 00:34:39.145 In the Old Testament, the Israelites, God's chosen people, 510 00:34:39.215 --> 00:34:42.305 they are given, uh, what we know today as the Mosaic law. 511 00:34:42.305 --> 00:34:43.825 And this is all the really weird stuff 512 00:34:43.825 --> 00:34:45.185 that you read in the Old Testament, right? 513 00:34:45.185 --> 00:34:47.185 These are all the laws about what to wear 514 00:34:47.485 --> 00:34:50.665 and uh, what to eat when and when not to work, 515 00:34:50.845 --> 00:34:53.065 and, uh, don't mix these types of fabrics 516 00:34:53.065 --> 00:34:54.345 and don't eat this sort of food. 517 00:34:54.405 --> 00:34:55.665 All those sort of things, right? The things 518 00:34:55.665 --> 00:34:57.065 that maybe you've seen before and you're getting a little 519 00:34:57.265 --> 00:35:00.545 confused by, uh, there's 613 of these commands 520 00:35:00.545 --> 00:35:02.945 that are found in the mosaic law, 521 00:35:03.045 --> 00:35:04.745 and uh, they can really be broken up 522 00:35:04.745 --> 00:35:05.905 into three categories, okay? 523 00:35:05.905 --> 00:35:08.745 There's the judicial law, there's a ceremonial law, 524 00:35:08.745 --> 00:35:09.785 and they're the moral law. 525 00:35:10.925 --> 00:35:15.065 And boy was this a lot to keep up with, 613 526 00:35:15.205 --> 00:35:17.025 of these different laws. 527 00:35:17.565 --> 00:35:19.305 And I just wanna be clear, like we, 528 00:35:19.305 --> 00:35:20.865 thankfully we don't live in a world where 529 00:35:21.125 --> 00:35:22.665 that's like the amount of pressure 530 00:35:22.665 --> 00:35:23.865 and weight that we feel on us, 531 00:35:23.865 --> 00:35:26.185 but like, even on our best day, 532 00:35:26.185 --> 00:35:27.865 like everybody in here is like, 533 00:35:27.865 --> 00:35:30.665 we've all probably done something to break our law. 534 00:35:32.095 --> 00:35:35.985 Like even if it's just speeding, you've broken the law. 535 00:35:35.985 --> 00:35:38.845 There's actually a professor, um, at Rutgers University 536 00:35:38.845 --> 00:35:41.325 who wrote an article that estimates that 70% 537 00:35:41.325 --> 00:35:44.685 of American adults have committed a crime that could lead 538 00:35:44.685 --> 00:35:46.885 to imprisonment, 70%. 539 00:35:46.945 --> 00:35:48.205 Now, this feels a little bit extreme. 540 00:35:48.315 --> 00:35:50.365 Like for example, the example that he gave is, 541 00:35:50.365 --> 00:35:51.645 let's say you go to the doctor 542 00:35:51.705 --> 00:35:53.085 and they prescribe you antibiotics. 543 00:35:53.085 --> 00:35:55.285 And so you go to the pharmacy, you get your antibiotics, 544 00:35:55.285 --> 00:35:56.805 you come home, you put 'em on the kitchen table, 545 00:35:57.025 --> 00:35:58.405 you go get in bed and you're sick. 546 00:35:58.405 --> 00:35:59.485 And so one day you go, honey, 547 00:36:00.225 --> 00:36:01.925 can you go grab the antibiotics off the 548 00:36:01.925 --> 00:36:03.005 table and bring them over to me? 549 00:36:03.005 --> 00:36:04.005 And she says, yeah, surely. 550 00:36:04.005 --> 00:36:06.805 So she walks in, she hands you, well, she could be in prison 551 00:36:06.905 --> 00:36:09.005 for dispensing a controlled substance without a 552 00:36:09.005 --> 00:36:10.725 license like legally. 553 00:36:11.545 --> 00:36:13.805 Now, because we don't hold to the letter of the law 554 00:36:13.805 --> 00:36:15.485 that clearly she's fine, 555 00:36:15.745 --> 00:36:18.005 but if she wanted to, here's the, here's the point. 556 00:36:18.345 --> 00:36:20.005 We all have claimed to be guilty 557 00:36:20.955 --> 00:36:22.485 despite if we think it's a big deal 558 00:36:22.505 --> 00:36:26.245 or just something small, there's something we have all done 559 00:36:26.315 --> 00:36:27.805 that could make us guilty. 560 00:36:27.805 --> 00:36:30.645 And so maybe you've read those 613 laws in the Old 561 00:36:30.805 --> 00:36:32.245 Testament, you think, well, why don't we do that s anymore? 562 00:36:32.545 --> 00:36:34.605 Or how come it feels like we only pay attention 563 00:36:34.605 --> 00:36:37.845 to the 10 Commandments and we ignore the other 603? 564 00:36:37.875 --> 00:36:39.165 Well, there's a reason for this. 565 00:36:39.715 --> 00:36:41.045 It's because a portion of the laws, 566 00:36:41.115 --> 00:36:42.805 they're called the judicial laws, right? 567 00:36:43.265 --> 00:36:46.405 And these were governing, governing rules specifically 568 00:36:46.405 --> 00:36:48.205 for the Israelites in that period of history. 569 00:36:48.205 --> 00:36:50.965 So these were rules that God gave to them specifically 570 00:36:50.965 --> 00:36:53.125 for their nation, specifically for their time 571 00:36:53.125 --> 00:36:54.205 and their moment in history. 572 00:36:54.625 --> 00:36:56.925 Uh, then there are the moral laws. 573 00:36:56.955 --> 00:36:59.325 This is where the 10 Commandments falls into play. 574 00:36:59.325 --> 00:37:02.005 And the reason why we still listen to the moral law is 575 00:37:02.005 --> 00:37:04.125 because this is God's eternal code. 576 00:37:04.495 --> 00:37:06.445 Don't lie, don't steal, don't cheat, right? 577 00:37:06.695 --> 00:37:08.965 These are things that stand for all of time. 578 00:37:09.705 --> 00:37:12.285 But then the third category is the ceremonial law. 579 00:37:12.695 --> 00:37:15.805 These are the sacrifices. These are the purification laws. 580 00:37:15.805 --> 00:37:17.325 These are the steps you have to go through, 581 00:37:17.625 --> 00:37:20.925 the work you have to do in order to be made right with God 582 00:37:21.385 --> 00:37:22.205 and see, you say, well, why 583 00:37:22.205 --> 00:37:23.325 don't we do those things anymore? 584 00:37:23.345 --> 00:37:26.045 Now, this is where doctrine is important, 585 00:37:27.355 --> 00:37:29.645 because a bad doctrine would say, well, 586 00:37:29.645 --> 00:37:30.925 we just threw all that stuff out. 587 00:37:31.625 --> 00:37:34.805 That's not true. Good doctrine says all 588 00:37:34.805 --> 00:37:36.125 of those rules still applied, 589 00:37:36.425 --> 00:37:38.085 but Jesus has covered all of them. 590 00:37:39.345 --> 00:37:40.445 So we don't need to do anything 591 00:37:40.445 --> 00:37:43.205 to make ourselves ceremonial, cl ceremonially clean anymore. 592 00:37:43.545 --> 00:37:46.045 We don't have to do the things to make our, uh, to, 593 00:37:46.145 --> 00:37:47.965 we don't have to make any sacrifices 594 00:37:47.965 --> 00:37:50.925 because Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice. 595 00:37:51.065 --> 00:37:53.845 He has done what we couldn't do on our own. 596 00:37:54.185 --> 00:37:56.885 We looked at the law and said, man, I don't stand a chance. 597 00:37:56.945 --> 00:37:59.005 And so Jesus steps in 598 00:37:59.005 --> 00:38:00.925 and he says, Hey, listen, I'm the only one 599 00:38:00.925 --> 00:38:02.885 that can perfectly meet all of these demands. 600 00:38:03.025 --> 00:38:05.005 So as you've been trying your best, 601 00:38:05.665 --> 00:38:08.125 as you have been getting up and stumbling and falling 602 00:38:08.225 --> 00:38:10.365 and realizing that you're not good enough, guess what? 603 00:38:10.365 --> 00:38:12.205 You don't have to be because I am. 604 00:38:12.305 --> 00:38:15.565 And so now we are righteous, not because of what we do, but 605 00:38:15.565 --> 00:38:17.405 because of what Jesus has done for us. 606 00:38:17.505 --> 00:38:19.445 So now, when Paul tells us that we are 607 00:38:19.445 --> 00:38:21.605 to put on righteousness, the reason why you can do 608 00:38:21.605 --> 00:38:24.125 that is not because you have a righteousness of your own. 609 00:38:24.355 --> 00:38:26.165 It's because you have Jesus's righteousness 610 00:38:26.165 --> 00:38:27.645 that is clothed on you. 611 00:38:27.745 --> 00:38:30.885 And that is what people were waiting for for so long, 612 00:38:30.945 --> 00:38:34.285 to which Paul writes, now the grace of God has appeared. 613 00:38:35.645 --> 00:38:38.705 The grace of God has appeared after all of the waiting 614 00:38:38.705 --> 00:38:39.785 because of Jesus. 615 00:38:39.925 --> 00:38:42.385 We received the grace of God that we didn't deserve 616 00:38:42.965 --> 00:38:45.305 as we are clothed in his righteousness, 617 00:38:47.245 --> 00:38:48.545 and we don't have to do the heavy lifting. 618 00:38:49.525 --> 00:38:53.505 He does that, and he's continuing to do that in our lives 619 00:38:53.605 --> 00:38:55.305 as we commit to him 620 00:38:56.895 --> 00:38:59.825 because of the grace of God, there's a way 621 00:38:59.825 --> 00:39:01.305 to put on righteousness now 622 00:39:01.305 --> 00:39:02.985 that we were never capable of before. 623 00:39:03.205 --> 00:39:07.065 Now, yes, our behaviors and our attitudes do need to change, 624 00:39:07.685 --> 00:39:09.665 but they don't change because we try harder. 625 00:39:10.415 --> 00:39:12.225 They change because we try something different. 626 00:39:13.615 --> 00:39:15.505 I've been doing the same thing my entire life 627 00:39:15.505 --> 00:39:16.665 and I keep seeming to blow it. 628 00:39:16.665 --> 00:39:17.745 Well then try something different. 629 00:39:18.555 --> 00:39:20.625 Allow the Holy Spirit to infiltrate your heart 630 00:39:20.625 --> 00:39:22.345 and to begin a work inside of you. 631 00:39:23.045 --> 00:39:26.025 Yes, Titus, I want the pupil of Crete to live good lives, 632 00:39:26.045 --> 00:39:27.225 of good works, but not 633 00:39:27.225 --> 00:39:28.825 by white knuckling and gritting their teeth. 634 00:39:29.685 --> 00:39:33.825 But because God's grace is our motivation for good works 635 00:39:33.825 --> 00:39:37.295 and obedience, when we see the sacrifice of Jesus, 636 00:39:37.295 --> 00:39:40.375 when we see the surrender that he made for us, our humble, 637 00:39:40.625 --> 00:39:44.415 reasonable heart posture is yes, Lord, yeah, 638 00:39:45.325 --> 00:39:46.615 I'll adhere to all the rules 639 00:39:46.835 --> 00:39:50.175 and the law that you have given me because I trust you 640 00:39:51.275 --> 00:39:54.255 and you gave yourself for me to be righteous. 641 00:39:55.235 --> 00:39:59.055 And the beauty of this gift is that as, as verse 11 goes on 642 00:39:59.055 --> 00:40:02.215 to say, is that this gift brought salvation to all people. 643 00:40:04.195 --> 00:40:06.135 Now, I do wanna take a little bit of a sidebar here, 644 00:40:06.275 --> 00:40:09.135 and I want to make a, a, a clarifying statement 645 00:40:09.135 --> 00:40:11.935 that this doesn't mean that all people are saved, 646 00:40:12.875 --> 00:40:15.175 but it does mean that salvation is made 647 00:40:15.175 --> 00:40:16.455 available to everyone. 648 00:40:17.555 --> 00:40:19.495 Um, we're talking about sound doctrine, 649 00:40:19.555 --> 00:40:22.495 and there is a false doctrine that's circulating around, 650 00:40:22.555 --> 00:40:24.175 and Jason even mentioned it a few weeks ago. 651 00:40:24.485 --> 00:40:25.655 It's called Universalism. 652 00:40:25.655 --> 00:40:27.415 And it's this idea that, uh, 653 00:40:27.415 --> 00:40:28.775 because Jesus died on the cross. 654 00:40:28.775 --> 00:40:29.935 Well, everybody gets to go to heaven. 655 00:40:31.195 --> 00:40:33.615 And I, I, the reason why I call that out 656 00:40:33.615 --> 00:40:35.495 as false is not just because I think so, 657 00:40:35.515 --> 00:40:37.095 but it's, it's really hard 658 00:40:37.095 --> 00:40:38.655 to read the Bible and come to that conclusion. 659 00:40:39.275 --> 00:40:40.735 If you don't believe me. Just read Matthew 660 00:40:40.835 --> 00:40:42.535 and just read the words of Jesus alone 661 00:40:42.535 --> 00:40:44.735 through the first few chapters to realize, man, 662 00:40:44.895 --> 00:40:47.055 there actually is an eternal punishment 663 00:40:47.055 --> 00:40:49.095 and an eternal separation from God for those 664 00:40:49.095 --> 00:40:50.575 who don't put their faith in him. 665 00:40:50.575 --> 00:40:52.375 And so you're like, man, well, if the Bible says that, 666 00:40:52.375 --> 00:40:53.815 how do people reach this conclusion? 667 00:40:54.515 --> 00:40:56.735 How do they think that everybody just gets in? 668 00:40:56.735 --> 00:40:58.095 Well, it's because they take verses 669 00:40:58.095 --> 00:40:59.135 like this one out of context. 670 00:40:59.335 --> 00:41:01.815 I mean, it says that he's bringing salvation for 671 00:41:02.435 --> 00:41:03.615 all people, right? 672 00:41:03.815 --> 00:41:07.095 I mean, unfortunately, many people will try to use the love 673 00:41:07.095 --> 00:41:10.255 of God as an argument against the warnings that Jesus gave. 674 00:41:10.925 --> 00:41:12.135 They'll say things like, well, 675 00:41:12.215 --> 00:41:14.175 a loving God wouldn't actually send somebody to hell, 676 00:41:14.265 --> 00:41:16.255 would he like, come on, man. 677 00:41:16.255 --> 00:41:17.455 We're we're talking about grace, of grace 678 00:41:17.455 --> 00:41:19.695 of God has a period if, like, if, if God was really full 679 00:41:19.695 --> 00:41:22.175 of grace, wouldn't everybody be allowed in? 680 00:41:23.595 --> 00:41:26.215 And recently I heard an interview, um, with an apologist, 681 00:41:26.215 --> 00:41:28.735 his name is Wes Huff, who, uh, he was on a recent podcast. 682 00:41:28.915 --> 00:41:30.455 And he, he shared this that I, 683 00:41:30.495 --> 00:41:31.695 I thought was just so powerful. 684 00:41:31.715 --> 00:41:34.765 He said that if somebody spent their entire life rejecting 685 00:41:34.825 --> 00:41:38.045 God, it wouldn't be loving for that God to then force them 686 00:41:38.045 --> 00:41:39.205 to spend eternity with 'em. 687 00:41:41.095 --> 00:41:43.665 Like imagine some guy was hitting on you 688 00:41:43.845 --> 00:41:45.785 and you said no for like years, 689 00:41:46.725 --> 00:41:48.705 and then you end up in a retirement home and you 690 00:41:48.705 --> 00:41:49.945 and that guy, a roommate, you'd be like, 691 00:41:49.945 --> 00:41:51.385 this is the worst thing that could have possibly happen. 692 00:41:52.005 --> 00:41:55.705 I'm gonna end like this. God wouldn't do that. 693 00:41:56.575 --> 00:41:57.945 I've also heard people use the argument, 694 00:41:57.945 --> 00:42:00.105 but yeah, like hell just seems so extreme. 695 00:42:01.015 --> 00:42:02.585 Like, doesn't that feel like too harsh? 696 00:42:02.585 --> 00:42:05.105 Or like, does the, does the punishment really fit the crime? 697 00:42:05.165 --> 00:42:06.745 And again, I think this is something 698 00:42:06.745 --> 00:42:07.825 we need to flip on its head. 699 00:42:07.825 --> 00:42:10.665 Like, we think that we're too good to deserve hell, 700 00:42:10.665 --> 00:42:12.585 but we don't realize that we're way too 701 00:42:12.645 --> 00:42:14.025 bad to ever deserve heaven. 702 00:42:15.375 --> 00:42:18.265 Like the reality is, man is like it. 703 00:42:18.265 --> 00:42:22.945 Here's, here's the thing, because God wins as bad as hell, 704 00:42:22.965 --> 00:42:24.865 is the the actual worst thing that any 705 00:42:24.865 --> 00:42:26.865 of us can experience to that same degree. 706 00:42:26.925 --> 00:42:29.825 And even beyond that, heaven is so much better. 707 00:42:30.805 --> 00:42:35.785 And the fact that God would allow any of us to experience 708 00:42:35.785 --> 00:42:37.585 that man, that's his grace. 709 00:42:38.965 --> 00:42:41.785 The fact that none of us deserve it, the Bible tells us 710 00:42:41.785 --> 00:42:43.545 that all of us have fallen short of the glory of God, 711 00:42:43.565 --> 00:42:47.825 of God, despite that He still says, man, listen, 712 00:42:48.165 --> 00:42:49.345 I'm going to let you in. 713 00:42:50.365 --> 00:42:53.385 All you have to do is believe and put your faith in me. 714 00:42:54.275 --> 00:42:57.905 We're all guilty, not 70% of us, all of us. 715 00:42:59.635 --> 00:43:01.645 That is an immense level of grace that is 716 00:43:01.645 --> 00:43:03.245 beyond our comprehension. 717 00:43:03.985 --> 00:43:06.925 And what Paul's life mission was, was to let everybody know, 718 00:43:07.045 --> 00:43:09.725 Hey, listen, all these people who were far way off, 719 00:43:09.725 --> 00:43:12.085 they weren't, they weren't born into the line of Abraham. 720 00:43:12.275 --> 00:43:15.125 They don't have any, uh, uh, genealogical reasons 721 00:43:15.225 --> 00:43:16.565 to be grafted into this family. 722 00:43:16.675 --> 00:43:18.405 Instead, God did it anyway. 723 00:43:18.405 --> 00:43:20.445 And that's called his saving grace. Say that with me. 724 00:43:20.465 --> 00:43:22.965 Say, saving grace. It's the grace 725 00:43:22.965 --> 00:43:25.045 that saving us from ourselves. 726 00:43:25.795 --> 00:43:27.365 It's the grace that saves us from 727 00:43:27.365 --> 00:43:28.445 the punishment that we deserve. 728 00:43:29.155 --> 00:43:32.085 It's the moment that we put our faith in him. He saves us. 729 00:43:32.225 --> 00:43:34.525 Now, we've been using this word grace a lot. 730 00:43:34.985 --> 00:43:37.125 And uh, as we move forward, I do think this is important 731 00:43:37.125 --> 00:43:40.445 to know that grace is God giving us his help, his love 732 00:43:40.445 --> 00:43:42.805 and his power, even though we don't deserve it. 733 00:43:44.265 --> 00:43:46.325 His love, his help and his power. 734 00:43:46.385 --> 00:43:48.525 And I think that's important, an important distinction 735 00:43:48.525 --> 00:43:52.325 to make, uh, because so many times we all minimize grace 736 00:43:52.465 --> 00:43:53.525 to merely forgiveness. 737 00:43:55.165 --> 00:43:56.845 I love the way that John Piper puts this. 738 00:43:56.865 --> 00:44:00.325 He writes, grace is not simply leniency when we send, 739 00:44:01.375 --> 00:44:05.005 grace is the enabling gift of God not to sin. 740 00:44:05.855 --> 00:44:09.125 Grace is the power, not just the pardon. 741 00:44:10.565 --> 00:44:13.965 I love that Grace doesn't just say, I forgive you. 742 00:44:14.505 --> 00:44:16.925 It says, I forgive you. And now let me help you. 743 00:44:17.915 --> 00:44:20.365 It's not just the gift that saves us, it's the gift 744 00:44:20.365 --> 00:44:21.925 that trains us. 745 00:44:22.065 --> 00:44:25.805 It is a training grace, say, training grace, training grace. 746 00:44:26.455 --> 00:44:29.645 God's grace doesn't just save us, it trains us. 747 00:44:29.665 --> 00:44:30.885 That's where verse 12 goes. 748 00:44:31.070 --> 00:44:32.805 It says that it is training us 749 00:44:33.065 --> 00:44:36.205 to renounce ungodliness in worldly possessions. 750 00:44:37.585 --> 00:44:40.085 How many of you know that saying yes 751 00:44:40.085 --> 00:44:42.405 to following Jesus doesn't make living 752 00:44:42.465 --> 00:44:43.685 out righteousness easy? 753 00:44:44.955 --> 00:44:46.605 Like just because you said yes to following Jesus, 754 00:44:46.605 --> 00:44:49.165 it doesn't make everything automatically easy, right? 755 00:44:49.265 --> 00:44:51.925 We still wake up with old desires and old habits 756 00:44:52.185 --> 00:44:55.445 and sin that gnaws away at us, things that we struggle with 757 00:44:55.445 --> 00:44:56.845 and cravings that we want to kill, 758 00:44:56.865 --> 00:44:59.325 but it feels like we can't on our own here. 759 00:44:59.555 --> 00:45:01.365 This is the training grace of God 760 00:45:01.395 --> 00:45:03.885 that even when those things start to creep back in, 761 00:45:04.185 --> 00:45:05.925 he doesn't leave us on our own devices 762 00:45:05.945 --> 00:45:06.965 to try to figure it out. 763 00:45:07.095 --> 00:45:11.045 Again. This is training grace. 764 00:45:11.345 --> 00:45:12.925 Now, I want to ask you, how many of you 765 00:45:13.675 --> 00:45:15.765 have ever shared the gospel with someone 766 00:45:16.425 --> 00:45:19.205 and talked to them about the training grace of God? 767 00:45:20.945 --> 00:45:23.205 Not very many of us, if any of us, like 768 00:45:23.205 --> 00:45:24.565 that's not language that we use. 769 00:45:24.565 --> 00:45:25.845 Very common, right? 770 00:45:26.505 --> 00:45:29.205 But it is an essential part of 771 00:45:29.205 --> 00:45:30.685 what it means to follow Jesus. 772 00:45:31.235 --> 00:45:34.845 It's like trying to bake a cake without an oven to take away 773 00:45:35.525 --> 00:45:36.685 training grace from this process. 774 00:45:36.925 --> 00:45:38.685 I just want you to think about this for just a second. 775 00:45:38.835 --> 00:45:42.245 Like, it takes humility 776 00:45:42.865 --> 00:45:44.725 and brokenness to be able to go to God 777 00:45:44.925 --> 00:45:47.645 and say, God, I can't figure life out on my own. 778 00:45:47.925 --> 00:45:48.965 I need you to save me. 779 00:45:49.185 --> 00:45:51.685 But what we do is, is we take that saving grace 780 00:45:51.945 --> 00:45:53.725 and then we live our lives as if, okay, 781 00:45:53.725 --> 00:45:54.805 I think I could figure it out from here. 782 00:45:55.715 --> 00:45:58.965 Like it was all terrible my entire life. 783 00:45:59.365 --> 00:46:01.325 I had this encounter with God, my life has changed. 784 00:46:01.325 --> 00:46:03.525 And then, okay, I think I, I think that's fixed. 785 00:46:03.585 --> 00:46:07.815 Now lemme ask you, how many of you have a gym membership? 786 00:46:10.205 --> 00:46:13.215 Okay, how many of you have a gym membership 787 00:46:13.515 --> 00:46:14.975 for a gym that you do not go to? 788 00:46:17.255 --> 00:46:18.575 I like our hands went up that time. 789 00:46:18.805 --> 00:46:20.415 Like, actually, wait, I do have a gym membership. 790 00:46:20.415 --> 00:46:23.495 I forgot about it. I think sometimes we think about our 791 00:46:23.655 --> 00:46:24.935 salvation, kinda like that gym membership. 792 00:46:25.645 --> 00:46:28.575 Like if you, if the goal of the membership was just 793 00:46:28.575 --> 00:46:31.375 to get you into the door, well, you could do that. 794 00:46:33.285 --> 00:46:35.945 But the purpose of having the membership is to be trained 795 00:46:36.045 --> 00:46:37.065 to become a healthy person. 796 00:46:37.845 --> 00:46:39.985 And the same way some of us have our salvation 797 00:46:39.985 --> 00:46:41.705 and we have it like that card of like, oh, 798 00:46:41.705 --> 00:46:44.785 this'll get me into heaven, but I 799 00:46:44.785 --> 00:46:45.825 don't need the training grace. 800 00:46:47.025 --> 00:46:49.025 I don't need that to do anything for me. 801 00:46:49.105 --> 00:46:50.785 I don't need that to, to change or, 802 00:46:50.785 --> 00:46:52.185 or transform my life at all. 803 00:46:52.245 --> 00:46:55.225 I'm think about this. Imagine you go to the doctor 804 00:46:55.885 --> 00:46:58.705 for your annual physical and they ask you 805 00:46:58.705 --> 00:47:00.105 that question like, Hey, do you, 806 00:47:00.165 --> 00:47:01.585 how do you, how often do you work out? 807 00:47:01.605 --> 00:47:05.065 And you're like, I, I think I went in the nineties. 808 00:47:07.295 --> 00:47:09.305 Yeah, but I'm healthy. I'm I'm a gym rat. 809 00:47:09.325 --> 00:47:10.825 You know what I mean? Like, I, I get it done. 810 00:47:12.335 --> 00:47:15.505 Like no one in their right mind would call that person 811 00:47:16.025 --> 00:47:17.105 a healthy gym rat. 812 00:47:17.925 --> 00:47:20.705 But in our spiritual lives, we think it's completely okay 813 00:47:20.705 --> 00:47:22.425 to be like, yeah, I said a prayer in the nineties. 814 00:47:24.345 --> 00:47:26.105 I don't really let Jesus work on me like day 815 00:47:26.105 --> 00:47:27.385 to day, but I I did it once. 816 00:47:27.405 --> 00:47:31.715 So I'm, I'm a healthy Christian. Listen to me. 817 00:47:32.975 --> 00:47:35.435 The beauty of the grace of God is 818 00:47:35.435 --> 00:47:37.755 that it's not a one time thing that you receive 819 00:47:37.775 --> 00:47:39.995 and then you move on from and leave it in the back burner. 820 00:47:40.575 --> 00:47:42.795 The beauty of the grace of God is that it's a grace 821 00:47:42.795 --> 00:47:43.835 that walks with you. 822 00:47:44.815 --> 00:47:47.475 It is a grace that met you on your worst day 823 00:47:47.695 --> 00:47:50.475 and continues to walk with you towards eternity. 824 00:47:51.535 --> 00:47:54.515 It is a grace that saves you and trains you. 825 00:47:55.215 --> 00:47:57.075 It is a grace that allows you to wake up 826 00:47:57.685 --> 00:47:59.395 every single day on a daily basis 827 00:48:00.095 --> 00:48:02.115 and repeat that same hard posture that says, God, 828 00:48:02.155 --> 00:48:04.795 I surrender and I want you to transform me. 829 00:48:05.875 --> 00:48:10.075 I need your training grace, it trains us 830 00:48:10.095 --> 00:48:12.635 to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions 831 00:48:12.635 --> 00:48:15.075 and to live self-controlled, upright, 832 00:48:15.215 --> 00:48:17.115 and godly lives in this present age. 833 00:48:17.135 --> 00:48:20.475 So we have this coin on one side is saving grace. 834 00:48:21.135 --> 00:48:23.115 On the other side is training grace. 835 00:48:25.055 --> 00:48:29.115 And back on the other side, we have sustaining grace. 836 00:48:29.195 --> 00:48:31.235 I realize the coin analogy doesn't really work that well, 837 00:48:31.255 --> 00:48:33.395 but the, the grace of God is just that full. 838 00:48:33.825 --> 00:48:35.475 It's the gift that keeps on giving. 839 00:48:35.605 --> 00:48:37.035 There is a sustaining grace. 840 00:48:37.035 --> 00:48:38.715 And why do we need this sustaining grace? 841 00:48:39.465 --> 00:48:42.715 Because we are, as the next verse, puts it, waiting 842 00:48:42.895 --> 00:48:46.475 for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory 843 00:48:46.495 --> 00:48:48.515 of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. 844 00:48:49.815 --> 00:48:51.115 Why do we need sustaining grace? 845 00:48:51.265 --> 00:48:53.635 Because of that first word in that verse. We're waiting. 846 00:48:54.865 --> 00:48:55.875 Does that sound familiar? 847 00:48:56.785 --> 00:48:58.595 What Paul has done is he has given us this, 848 00:48:58.625 --> 00:49:01.595 this grace filled sandwich that says, 849 00:49:01.595 --> 00:49:04.515 this whole thing started with the people waiting for God 850 00:49:04.515 --> 00:49:07.475 to come, waiting for Jesus to arrive, waiting 851 00:49:07.535 --> 00:49:10.635 to impart his righteousness dis on us waiting for salvation. 852 00:49:11.055 --> 00:49:13.515 And now we are waiting again for the day 853 00:49:13.515 --> 00:49:15.115 where he will come back and make everything right. 854 00:49:15.255 --> 00:49:17.915 Now here's the problem. We find ourselves in that in between 855 00:49:19.095 --> 00:49:20.395 and we're like, man, I don't, 856 00:49:20.755 --> 00:49:22.075 I don't know if I'm gonna make it. 857 00:49:22.985 --> 00:49:25.555 Well, guess what? The same grace that saved you 858 00:49:25.855 --> 00:49:28.995 and the same grace that trains you is the same grace 859 00:49:28.995 --> 00:49:30.435 that will sustain you. 860 00:49:31.495 --> 00:49:32.985 It's the same thing that will encourage you 861 00:49:32.985 --> 00:49:34.185 and tell you to keep up going. 862 00:49:36.325 --> 00:49:39.705 And we wait with this, this sustaining grace for the day 863 00:49:40.085 --> 00:49:42.105 of Jesus's second arrival. 864 00:49:42.305 --> 00:49:44.985 I, I have a, a tattoo. It's on my shoulder. 865 00:49:44.985 --> 00:49:46.465 It'd be weird for me to show it to you now. 866 00:49:46.805 --> 00:49:48.505 Uh, so we made a little bit of a mockup 867 00:49:48.505 --> 00:49:49.705 of it that you can see here. 868 00:49:50.405 --> 00:49:51.625 Uh, and me 869 00:49:51.625 --> 00:49:53.225 and some friends, we have this, it's a matching tattoo. 870 00:49:53.605 --> 00:49:56.185 And uh, the idea behind the tattoo is that it's the gospel. 871 00:49:56.965 --> 00:49:59.985 Um, and so one day I was at the, the lake with a couple 872 00:49:59.985 --> 00:50:02.105 of our pastors and Gary Vett was there, and I saw him. 873 00:50:02.105 --> 00:50:04.425 He was just kind of staring. Gary does this thing when 874 00:50:04.425 --> 00:50:05.545 he's like processing something. 875 00:50:05.545 --> 00:50:07.185 He's such a concrete thinker that he'll look at you 876 00:50:07.185 --> 00:50:08.745 and kind of tilt his head like a dog, you know? 877 00:50:08.895 --> 00:50:10.465 He's like, I'm processing. 878 00:50:11.245 --> 00:50:15.785 And uh, anybody who knows Gary knows that that's true, but, 879 00:50:16.965 --> 00:50:18.305 but he's looking at this and, 880 00:50:18.365 --> 00:50:21.665 and he goes, uh, he's, I think I'm, I'm tracking with you, 881 00:50:21.665 --> 00:50:23.185 but, but what does your tattoo mean? 882 00:50:23.185 --> 00:50:24.665 And I go, oh, it means Jesus came 883 00:50:24.665 --> 00:50:26.425 down, he died on the cross. 884 00:50:27.025 --> 00:50:29.005 He rose from the grave, he ascended. 885 00:50:29.025 --> 00:50:30.685 And he goes, yeah, but what about that last era? 886 00:50:30.765 --> 00:50:32.205 I said, oh, it means that he's coming back. 887 00:50:33.905 --> 00:50:35.965 And he says, I'm so glad that you have 888 00:50:35.965 --> 00:50:37.045 that last part on there 889 00:50:37.045 --> 00:50:38.845 because so many people forget 890 00:50:38.845 --> 00:50:41.205 that the gospel includes Jesus coming back. 891 00:50:42.225 --> 00:50:44.365 We remember that the gospel means that Jesus came, 892 00:50:45.225 --> 00:50:47.925 but man, the gospel is, it's, it's this full 893 00:50:48.645 --> 00:50:52.085 holistic picture that there's another grace waiting for us. 894 00:50:52.085 --> 00:50:54.485 And that is God's grace of completion. 895 00:50:55.635 --> 00:50:57.525 That one day, his grace, 896 00:50:57.665 --> 00:50:59.325 the way it has been poured out on us, 897 00:50:59.325 --> 00:51:02.045 will be continually poured out on us where I, 898 00:51:02.045 --> 00:51:05.565 where his strength is made fully perfect in our weakness. 899 00:51:06.945 --> 00:51:08.605 And that sustaining grace, man, it, 900 00:51:08.635 --> 00:51:10.005 it's not this pat on the back, 901 00:51:10.105 --> 00:51:12.005 you can do it sort of keep going. 902 00:51:12.155 --> 00:51:13.805 It's this footprint in the sand. 903 00:51:13.875 --> 00:51:15.325 I'll carry you when you can't walk. 904 00:51:15.395 --> 00:51:16.805 I'll pick you up, turn you around, 905 00:51:16.815 --> 00:51:18.085 place your feet on solid ground 906 00:51:18.085 --> 00:51:19.325 because we're going somewhere. 907 00:51:20.335 --> 00:51:22.925 We're going to the day in the place when you will 908 00:51:22.925 --> 00:51:24.045 be made whole. 909 00:51:25.065 --> 00:51:27.565 And this is a grace that we receive from God directly. 910 00:51:27.565 --> 00:51:29.285 But man, we also receive it through community. 911 00:51:30.145 --> 00:51:31.445 We receive this grace through our 912 00:51:31.445 --> 00:51:32.725 community and through our church family. 913 00:51:33.395 --> 00:51:36.645 When we remind one another of the goodness of God. 914 00:51:36.765 --> 00:51:38.165 I I had this moment earlier this week. 915 00:51:38.165 --> 00:51:41.005 I was, um, I was driving in my car 916 00:51:41.505 --> 00:51:44.325 and dude, I just had, I don't know any other, 917 00:51:44.485 --> 00:51:45.565 I know this is gonna sound alarming, 918 00:51:45.565 --> 00:51:46.845 but I don't know any other way to put it. 919 00:51:47.125 --> 00:51:51.085 I had this like existential dread of like, 920 00:51:51.205 --> 00:51:52.885 I want Jesus to come back now. 921 00:51:54.465 --> 00:51:57.325 Not in like a righteous your kingdom, 922 00:51:57.395 --> 00:51:58.925 come on earth, da da in heaven sort of way. 923 00:51:58.925 --> 00:52:00.725 It was like, bruh, I'm just tired. 924 00:52:02.075 --> 00:52:03.965 Like I don't wanna deal with this stuff anymore. 925 00:52:04.135 --> 00:52:06.765 We've got wars and rumors of wars. 926 00:52:06.855 --> 00:52:09.405 We've got, dude, I saw a video the other day about 927 00:52:09.465 --> 00:52:12.845 how people are using AI chatbots like chat GPT, 928 00:52:12.845 --> 00:52:14.285 and like they've turned it into a religion. 929 00:52:14.285 --> 00:52:16.165 Like they genuinely think they're talking to God. 930 00:52:17.805 --> 00:52:18.925 I got an email the other day 931 00:52:18.925 --> 00:52:21.085 that my Netflix subscription is gonna go up again. 932 00:52:21.145 --> 00:52:22.565 And I'm like, well, I want to cancel it, 933 00:52:22.565 --> 00:52:24.885 but then I lose all the movies I've been paying 934 00:52:24.885 --> 00:52:26.085 for for the last 20 years. 935 00:52:26.165 --> 00:52:27.205 I don't really own anything. 936 00:52:27.265 --> 00:52:29.005 I'm raising my daughter in this world thinking, man, 937 00:52:29.005 --> 00:52:30.205 everything's just a rip off. 938 00:52:30.205 --> 00:52:31.285 Like, what's the point? Jesus, 939 00:52:31.625 --> 00:52:33.045 can you come back and save me from Netflix? 940 00:52:33.195 --> 00:52:35.725 Like that was genuinely where I was coming from. 941 00:52:35.725 --> 00:52:36.885 And I texted this to my wife 942 00:52:36.985 --> 00:52:39.405 and she said, this is the reason why now more than ever, 943 00:52:39.715 --> 00:52:43.525 your calling and the call of all Christians is so important. 944 00:52:44.965 --> 00:52:46.385 And she sent me that text message 945 00:52:46.445 --> 00:52:51.185 and I went, Ugh, I don't wanna hear 946 00:52:51.185 --> 00:52:54.625 that right now, but I needed to hear that right now. 947 00:52:55.865 --> 00:52:58.505 I needed my wife in that moment to gospel as me. 948 00:52:59.125 --> 00:53:01.225 You know what that means? It means it is 949 00:53:01.225 --> 00:53:03.185 what we should all do to gospel 950 00:53:03.405 --> 00:53:05.025 as others in the world around you. 951 00:53:05.025 --> 00:53:06.585 And even the parts of our own heart means 952 00:53:06.585 --> 00:53:08.505 that we live a life that is consistently looking 953 00:53:08.565 --> 00:53:11.105 for darkness and say, how do we bring light to that 954 00:53:11.125 --> 00:53:12.985 and declare the same way that Paul did? 955 00:53:13.205 --> 00:53:16.545 The grace of God has appeared even right there. 956 00:53:18.105 --> 00:53:20.425 I need to allow the gospel to touch the deepest, 957 00:53:20.535 --> 00:53:22.265 darkest resets of my heart. 958 00:53:22.925 --> 00:53:25.065 Listen, as we grow in our gospel, 959 00:53:25.155 --> 00:53:27.845 understanding it will impact the way that we behave 960 00:53:27.905 --> 00:53:30.165 as we begin to understand the depravity 961 00:53:30.165 --> 00:53:32.325 and the mess that we're in, that we're hopeless 962 00:53:32.345 --> 00:53:34.605 and helpless in our sin, and that we can't rescue 963 00:53:35.025 --> 00:53:36.125 and save ourselves. 964 00:53:36.155 --> 00:53:38.805 That God and his great kindness and his love 965 00:53:38.825 --> 00:53:41.845 and his tremendous mercy sent his son on a rescue mission 966 00:53:42.145 --> 00:53:44.285 to bring us back and set us free. 967 00:53:46.105 --> 00:53:47.115 Does that sound familiar? 968 00:53:50.785 --> 00:53:52.435 That quote that I just read is from 969 00:53:52.495 --> 00:53:53.755 Clay's message last week. 970 00:53:55.145 --> 00:53:56.155 Anybody remember it? 971 00:53:57.505 --> 00:53:58.995 This is why we need to remind each other, 972 00:53:59.785 --> 00:54:02.755 because seven days ago you just heard the truth 973 00:54:02.895 --> 00:54:04.115 and the beauty of the gospel, 974 00:54:04.175 --> 00:54:05.555 and already you're like, oh, man, that's, 975 00:54:05.635 --> 00:54:06.675 I wish I would've known that sooner. 976 00:54:08.095 --> 00:54:11.475 It happens to all of us. We're all prone to forget. 977 00:54:11.495 --> 00:54:14.155 So we are to be a people who remember 978 00:54:14.415 --> 00:54:15.675 and remind one another 979 00:54:15.745 --> 00:54:18.315 that grace has come and it's coming again. 980 00:54:20.215 --> 00:54:21.715 That's what a family looks like. 981 00:54:24.195 --> 00:54:26.815 Sin tries to creep in almost every second that I'm awake. 982 00:54:26.815 --> 00:54:29.215 And man, I, I need the gospel even more than ever. 983 00:54:29.215 --> 00:54:31.655 Like I love that we do this, but between now 984 00:54:31.655 --> 00:54:36.215 and next week, I need the gospel like 8,000 more times 985 00:54:37.325 --> 00:54:38.335 just to make it through a Tuesday. 986 00:54:42.035 --> 00:54:45.215 And so Paul, he, he closes out the letter with, with this, 987 00:54:45.565 --> 00:54:48.375 this gospel reminder for all of us to remember 988 00:54:48.375 --> 00:54:51.135 that Jesus Christ who gave himself for us 989 00:54:51.195 --> 00:54:53.255 to redeem us from all lawlessness 990 00:54:53.395 --> 00:54:56.695 and to purify for himself a people for his own possessions 991 00:54:56.835 --> 00:54:58.695 who are zealous for good works. 992 00:54:59.515 --> 00:55:02.535 And I want to just, I wanna kind of give you this diagram to 993 00:55:02.555 --> 00:55:05.535 to, to kind of make this this verse bite sized, 994 00:55:05.885 --> 00:55:07.455 because I think in this one verse, 995 00:55:07.525 --> 00:55:09.895 Paul is actually summarizing what it is that he wants 996 00:55:09.895 --> 00:55:10.895 to articulate to everybody. 997 00:55:10.915 --> 00:55:13.015 It is, it's this God gave. 998 00:55:14.235 --> 00:55:17.655 So we are redeemed from sin 999 00:55:18.435 --> 00:55:22.175 now we are purified, we have become his own possession, 1000 00:55:22.715 --> 00:55:24.815 and now we do zealous good works. 1001 00:55:25.515 --> 00:55:26.655 And you know what's so important 1002 00:55:26.655 --> 00:55:27.935 about this particular order? 1003 00:55:28.835 --> 00:55:31.135 So many of us try to do the zealous good works, 1004 00:55:31.555 --> 00:55:34.295 but we forget that the only way we get there, the first step 1005 00:55:34.295 --> 00:55:37.695 to reach, to be the type of people who behave right, is 1006 00:55:37.695 --> 00:55:38.895 to start by understanding 1007 00:55:38.895 --> 00:55:40.855 that this whole process began when God gave. 1008 00:55:42.275 --> 00:55:45.255 The only way that we can do zealous good works is to 1009 00:55:45.935 --> 00:55:48.975 remember that all of this started out 1010 00:55:48.975 --> 00:55:50.855 of God's generosity he gave, 1011 00:55:51.115 --> 00:55:54.935 and his multifaceted grace has been poured out on all of us, 1012 00:55:55.555 --> 00:55:58.415 and it refracts in every direction like light 1013 00:55:58.415 --> 00:55:59.695 reflecting off of a diamond. 1014 00:56:00.595 --> 00:56:02.015 That's how rich his grace is. 1015 00:56:05.215 --> 00:56:10.015 Titus two 15, this last spot here, Titus gives, 1016 00:56:10.395 --> 00:56:12.015 I'm sorry, Paul gives Titus one final charge. 1017 00:56:12.015 --> 00:56:13.455 He says, declare these things, 1018 00:56:14.885 --> 00:56:18.775 declare these things like make these things known exhort 1019 00:56:18.775 --> 00:56:20.495 and rebuke with all authority. 1020 00:56:20.595 --> 00:56:22.695 And don't let anyone disregard you. 1021 00:56:24.705 --> 00:56:26.505 Titus the same message that I'm pouring into you. 1022 00:56:26.585 --> 00:56:27.905 I want you to pour it into everyone else. 1023 00:56:28.065 --> 00:56:31.465 I want you to go around and gospel as the people of creed 1024 00:56:31.995 --> 00:56:35.065 everywhere that you see darkness bring the grace 1025 00:56:35.285 --> 00:56:37.345 and the goodness of God to that place. 1026 00:56:38.205 --> 00:56:40.265 And so as we come to a close, I just wanna put this list up. 1027 00:56:42.355 --> 00:56:45.985 We've talked about, um, the grace of God. 1028 00:56:47.155 --> 00:56:49.825 We've talked about the different ways that we see this. 1029 00:56:49.825 --> 00:56:53.545 Grace lived out through common grace, God's goodness 1030 00:56:53.545 --> 00:56:55.865 to all people, his saving grace, the coming 1031 00:56:55.865 --> 00:56:57.785 of Christ in our accepting of the gospel, his 1032 00:56:58.385 --> 00:57:01.425 training grace, the lifelong gospel transformation, 1033 00:57:01.445 --> 00:57:04.465 the sustaining grace, the the hope filled anticipation 1034 00:57:04.685 --> 00:57:07.585 of Jesus' return, and then that grace of completion, 1035 00:57:07.585 --> 00:57:09.585 or as some people call it his finishing grace, 1036 00:57:10.205 --> 00:57:11.945 the day when all of this will be made whole. 1037 00:57:11.945 --> 00:57:13.145 Now, I put this up for two reasons. 1038 00:57:13.365 --> 00:57:14.385 One, because some of you're 1039 00:57:14.385 --> 00:57:15.425 a note takers and you couldn't keep up. 1040 00:57:15.425 --> 00:57:18.985 So this is my gift to you except that gift of grace. 1041 00:57:21.125 --> 00:57:22.745 But man, I I also wanna put that up 1042 00:57:22.745 --> 00:57:25.625 because this is available to everyone. 1043 00:57:27.215 --> 00:57:30.305 It's an invitation that's extended to everyone. 1044 00:57:31.825 --> 00:57:34.125 And maybe you've never experienced this 1045 00:57:34.125 --> 00:57:35.845 grace before for yourself. 1046 00:57:35.845 --> 00:57:38.765 Maybe you've, you've stopped somewhere along the way. 1047 00:57:38.765 --> 00:57:39.765 Maybe you're not a believer 1048 00:57:39.765 --> 00:57:42.205 and you didn't even realize that the breath in your lungs 1049 00:57:42.205 --> 00:57:43.285 is the common grace of God. 1050 00:57:43.285 --> 00:57:45.165 Maybe, uh, you are a believer 1051 00:57:45.225 --> 00:57:46.845 and you've accepted the saving grace, 1052 00:57:46.865 --> 00:57:48.365 but you just prayed that prayer one time 1053 00:57:48.365 --> 00:57:50.245 and there hasn't really been any life change. 1054 00:57:50.255 --> 00:57:53.285 Maybe maybe you are allowing God to work in you 1055 00:57:53.285 --> 00:57:54.325 with his training grace, 1056 00:57:54.325 --> 00:57:55.445 but you're like, man, I don't know 1057 00:57:55.445 --> 00:57:57.005 how much longer I can do this. 1058 00:57:57.005 --> 00:57:59.845 Well to you, he pours out his sustaining grace. 1059 00:57:59.905 --> 00:58:03.045 And then maybe you, you feel that sustaining grace 1060 00:58:03.045 --> 00:58:04.445 and you're like, yeah, but I'm still looking forward 1061 00:58:04.445 --> 00:58:06.765 with anticipation to the day when all will be made whole. 1062 00:58:06.765 --> 00:58:09.085 Listen, no matter where you are in this list, 1063 00:58:09.515 --> 00:58:10.725 there's more grace for you. 1064 00:58:11.875 --> 00:58:13.525 There's More grace to be received. 1065 00:58:14.345 --> 00:58:15.525 And so as we close, I just 1066 00:58:15.525 --> 00:58:16.605 want everybody to close their eyes. 1067 00:58:18.345 --> 00:58:20.285 And I just wanna pray, um, 1068 00:58:23.525 --> 00:58:28.135 that maybe for the first time you can feel the grace 1069 00:58:28.135 --> 00:58:29.175 of God wash over you. 1070 00:58:34.475 --> 00:58:36.175 Listen, whether you're here in the room or 1071 00:58:36.195 --> 00:58:40.375 or if you're watching online, there's grace for you. 1072 00:58:43.355 --> 00:58:45.215 And it's overflowing, it's abundant, 1073 00:58:47.725 --> 00:58:48.855 it's multifaceted. 1074 00:58:48.925 --> 00:58:50.055 There's no end to it. 1075 00:58:53.265 --> 00:58:56.435 It's unearned. It's the love 1076 00:58:56.435 --> 00:59:00.035 of a father and it's available. 1077 00:59:02.375 --> 00:59:03.515 So here's what I want you to do. 1078 00:59:05.495 --> 00:59:08.155 If you're in the room and you have never said yes 1079 00:59:08.155 --> 00:59:09.435 to following Jesus, maybe you're, 1080 00:59:10.295 --> 00:59:11.675 you're like my friend Steve. 1081 00:59:11.735 --> 00:59:14.355 You've been trying to apply all the good, the rules 1082 00:59:14.355 --> 00:59:15.675 of being a good person through your life, 1083 00:59:15.675 --> 00:59:17.995 but you haven't seen any real life change. 1084 00:59:18.015 --> 00:59:20.715 You haven't really felt the warmth of the father's love. 1085 00:59:20.735 --> 00:59:23.805 If that's you and you want to, uh, just say, Hey, God, 1086 00:59:23.945 --> 00:59:25.485 I'm open to receiving your grace. 1087 00:59:25.605 --> 00:59:26.645 I just want you to raise your hand. 1088 00:59:29.145 --> 00:59:31.365 And if you're watching online and you say, Hey, that's me, 1089 00:59:31.365 --> 00:59:33.125 and I wish I was there in the room right now, 1090 00:59:33.185 --> 00:59:35.565 but for whatever reason God brought me to this live stream, 1091 00:59:35.685 --> 00:59:37.085 I just want you to go ahead and drop it in the chat. 1092 00:59:37.185 --> 00:59:41.685 Let somebody know, man, I want to receive the grace of God. 1093 00:59:43.735 --> 00:59:47.725 Lemme pray for you. Father, thank you for giving us 1094 00:59:47.725 --> 00:59:50.205 what we don't deserve and what we can never earn on our own. 1095 00:59:51.795 --> 00:59:53.885 Lord, thank you for your goodness. Thank you for your grace. 1096 00:59:55.545 --> 00:59:56.965 And God, I pray that that grace 1097 00:59:56.995 --> 00:59:59.165 that we receive in this moment of saying 1098 00:59:59.165 --> 01:00:01.885 that we put our faith in the finished work of Jesus, God, 1099 01:00:01.965 --> 01:00:04.725 I pray that that grace, we would experience it in every 1100 01:00:05.145 --> 01:00:06.165 aspect of our lives, 1101 01:00:06.165 --> 01:00:09.485 that your grace would touch the darkest part of our hearts 1102 01:00:09.485 --> 01:00:10.925 and of our lives and of this world 1103 01:00:11.145 --> 01:00:12.885 and just pour out freely so 1104 01:00:12.885 --> 01:00:14.325 that we are reminded that we are loved. 1105 01:00:14.545 --> 01:00:16.685 We are sons and daughters of the kings. 1106 01:00:16.685 --> 01:00:18.085 We are co-heirs with Christ. 1107 01:00:18.345 --> 01:00:19.965 We receive all the promises 1108 01:00:19.965 --> 01:00:21.285 that you give us in your word God, 1109 01:00:21.285 --> 01:00:23.205 because that is just you being you. 1110 01:00:25.155 --> 01:00:26.645 Help us to recognize who we are. 1111 01:00:29.395 --> 01:00:30.845 Lord, we thank you for the best decision 1112 01:00:30.845 --> 01:00:31.965 that some of these people have ever made. 1113 01:00:33.745 --> 01:00:35.605 And then Father, for those of us 1114 01:00:35.605 --> 01:00:37.285 who we have placed our faith in you, 1115 01:00:37.285 --> 01:00:39.205 but we just need your strength. 1116 01:00:40.175 --> 01:00:42.365 We've tried doing it our own and we know we can't. 1117 01:00:43.955 --> 01:00:47.165 Lord, fill us, fill us with your grace. 1118 01:00:48.485 --> 01:00:50.725 Surround us with people that we need to remind us 1119 01:00:50.825 --> 01:00:54.245 and point us to, uh, remembering what it is that you've done 1120 01:00:54.245 --> 01:00:55.405 for us, that you are so good. 1121 01:00:55.505 --> 01:00:58.205 God, in those moments, when we are struggling at the darkest 1122 01:00:58.205 --> 01:01:01.085 depth, pull us back to Titus two 11 through 15 1123 01:01:01.105 --> 01:01:04.565 and remind us of the grace that has finally appeared 1124 01:01:05.425 --> 01:01:07.445 and point us forward to the grace that we're all waiting on. 1125 01:01:07.445 --> 01:01:09.965 Lord, we love you. Thank you for your grace 1126 01:01:10.745 --> 01:01:12.285 in your Son Jesus' name we pray. 1127 01:01:12.875 --> 01:01:13.875 Amen. 1128 01:01:15.705 --> 01:01:17.325 So God's grace is truly amazing 1129 01:01:17.465 --> 01:01:18.805 and we thank you for that, Jesus. 1130 01:01:19.145 --> 01:01:21.405 Um, I will tell you if you have made a decision 1131 01:01:21.465 --> 01:01:22.525 to follow Jesus today, 1132 01:01:22.525 --> 01:01:25.125 or if you said, I, I need that grace, come and let us know. 1133 01:01:25.125 --> 01:01:26.685 Come and talk to us. Tell a friend as well. 1134 01:01:26.945 --> 01:01:28.525 We think it's important that you do that together. 1135 01:01:28.545 --> 01:01:31.285 We people, and we'd love to help walk alongside you 1136 01:01:31.305 --> 01:01:33.365 so you can come out to our next steps area If we're 1137 01:01:33.365 --> 01:01:34.685 online, indicate that there. 1138 01:01:34.945 --> 01:01:36.565 And we would love to come alongside 1139 01:01:36.565 --> 01:01:37.925 of you in your next steps. 1140 01:01:38.425 --> 01:01:41.205 Uh, I I just wanna say, man, what an awesome message. 1141 01:01:41.305 --> 01:01:42.325 It was great to hear this. 1142 01:01:42.325 --> 01:01:44.605 It was great to to experience this all with you. 1143 01:01:44.835 --> 01:01:47.805 Next week, we are not going to have this experience together 1144 01:01:47.805 --> 01:01:50.565 because it's the 4th of July weekend coming up. 1145 01:01:50.785 --> 01:01:54.245 And every year at hope we take off the 4th of July weekend 1146 01:01:54.245 --> 01:01:57.125 because we go on a, instead of like church happening here, 1147 01:01:57.425 --> 01:01:58.925 we want it to happen where you are. 1148 01:01:59.025 --> 01:02:00.085 So we want you to go 1149 01:02:00.385 --> 01:02:02.805 and be the church where you are next weekend. 1150 01:02:02.865 --> 01:02:05.685 So next Thursday night, the third, also on Sunday the sixth. 1151 01:02:05.705 --> 01:02:07.325 We will not have any services at all. 1152 01:02:07.605 --> 01:02:09.885 We won't have online go and be the church. 1153 01:02:09.905 --> 01:02:11.405 We want you to connect with neighbors. 1154 01:02:11.635 --> 01:02:13.045 That would be a very important thing to do. 1155 01:02:13.065 --> 01:02:14.805 So go and be a missionary where you are. 1156 01:02:15.385 --> 01:02:18.325 And speaking of that, uh, we actually have missionaries 1157 01:02:18.425 --> 01:02:21.245 who are going out this coming Sunday, July 6th. 1158 01:02:21.505 --> 01:02:24.125 And they're going to be some of us going to far away places. 1159 01:02:24.125 --> 01:02:25.725 There's a group going to Nicaragua 1160 01:02:25.725 --> 01:02:28.165 that's 25 people going to Nicaragua. 1161 01:02:28.165 --> 01:02:29.565 That's a big team. You can pray 1162 01:02:29.565 --> 01:02:30.605 for our sleeping arrangements. 1163 01:02:31.145 --> 01:02:33.805 Uh, and then on top of that, we've got 25 people going 1164 01:02:33.805 --> 01:02:35.725 to Lighthouse, which is the Emerald Isle. 1165 01:02:35.725 --> 01:02:37.805 A wonderful ministry, a family friendly ministry. 1166 01:02:38.145 --> 01:02:39.685 Uh, and so we're excited about that 1167 01:02:39.685 --> 01:02:41.965 and I thought it would be good if we prayed for those folks 1168 01:02:41.965 --> 01:02:43.125 who are going and we pray for 1169 01:02:43.125 --> 01:02:44.205 what God's gonna do this weekend 1170 01:02:44.265 --> 01:02:45.525 as you be the church where you are. 1171 01:02:45.525 --> 01:02:47.965 So let me pray for that. God, thank you 1172 01:02:47.985 --> 01:02:49.005 so much for your love. 1173 01:02:49.385 --> 01:02:52.045 Uh, we pray now that you're paving the way for saving grace 1174 01:02:52.185 --> 01:02:54.725 for people who are going hear the gospel, for people 1175 01:02:54.745 --> 01:02:56.125 who are going to experience that. 1176 01:02:56.435 --> 01:02:58.005 Because missionaries are going 1177 01:02:58.005 --> 01:02:59.765 and they're going to to share the good news 1178 01:02:59.995 --> 01:03:01.725 with their actions and with their words. 1179 01:03:01.785 --> 01:03:04.005 And we pray for that time. We pray you keep them safe. 1180 01:03:04.425 --> 01:03:07.125 We pray that uh, you help them bond together. 1181 01:03:07.665 --> 01:03:09.165 Uh, but we help we pray 1182 01:03:09.165 --> 01:03:11.405 that you would help them see you in all of it 1183 01:03:11.405 --> 01:03:13.205 and see the work that you're doing around the world. 1184 01:03:13.305 --> 01:03:16.485 So we pray for those trips. We pray also for the triangle. 1185 01:03:16.545 --> 01:03:18.325 We pray for, for wherever people are going 1186 01:03:18.325 --> 01:03:21.285 to be on July 4th weekend, that we might be a light, 1187 01:03:21.555 --> 01:03:23.405 that we might be able to share some 1188 01:03:23.405 --> 01:03:24.765 of the grace that we have. 1189 01:03:25.505 --> 01:03:27.565 And uh, just as Aaron was sharing earlier, that 1190 01:03:27.785 --> 01:03:30.525 as we encounter people who see you differently, God, 1191 01:03:30.525 --> 01:03:33.605 that we might give them a right doctrine, a right theology, 1192 01:03:33.765 --> 01:03:35.685 a right way to see you in light 1193 01:03:35.685 --> 01:03:36.925 of the grace that we've heard about today. 1194 01:03:36.945 --> 01:03:39.245 So use us and help us God to do that. 1195 01:03:39.245 --> 01:03:41.005 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 1196 01:03:42.395 --> 01:03:44.285 Well, before you go, I got one more thing to say. 1197 01:03:44.385 --> 01:03:47.565 So, man, God has been on the move in big ways at Hope 1198 01:03:47.865 --> 01:03:51.445 and we've seen a hundred over a hundred baptisms already 1199 01:03:51.555 --> 01:03:54.325 this year at Hope Community Church, which is unbelievable. 1200 01:03:54.325 --> 01:03:55.885 This is far more than we usually see. 1201 01:03:56.105 --> 01:03:58.285 We know God is on the moon. He's doing amazing things. 1202 01:03:58.745 --> 01:04:01.245 We actually have a baptism happening here tonight, 1203 01:04:01.465 --> 01:04:03.285 and that's gonna be happening right outside. 1204 01:04:03.585 --> 01:04:06.285 As you go out into your left, I'm gonna invite you 1205 01:04:06.285 --> 01:04:07.405 to do this Garner style. 1206 01:04:07.745 --> 01:04:08.845 And what that means is, 1207 01:04:08.905 --> 01:04:11.285 and Garner, what we do is everybody, 1208 01:04:11.715 --> 01:04:13.045 everybody goes out there 1209 01:04:13.145 --> 01:04:15.245 and everybody enjoys that time together 1210 01:04:15.425 --> 01:04:16.965 as we celebrate new life 1211 01:04:17.025 --> 01:04:19.045 and people being surrounded by the church 1212 01:04:19.275 --> 01:04:20.645 that they're stepping into. 1213 01:04:20.665 --> 01:04:23.605 And so we encourage you to go out right after the service. 1214 01:04:23.735 --> 01:04:26.605 Let's all of us go and let's celebrate new life together. 1215 01:04:26.745 --> 01:04:30.325 Can we do that? Yes. Okay. You got the time. I promise. 1216 01:04:31.905 --> 01:04:33.445 Not only that, we're gonna reward you 1217 01:04:33.445 --> 01:04:35.165 with a Popsicle 'cause it's hot out there. 1218 01:04:35.505 --> 01:04:37.845 All right. Love you guys. We will see you not next week. 1219 01:04:37.845 --> 01:04:39.205 We'll see you in two weeks. Have a great.