What We Look Like When We Put Others First, Part 1

Photo by SandyK29

Scripture: Titus 3:1-2

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

Insights: Over the next two days we are going to examine what a life looks like when it puts other people first.  Please remember the point of this sermon series is to help promote unity.  One of our mission statement declaratives is we at FBC Bowling Green are joyfully unified.  When a persons is unified, then they are indeed putting other’s needs ahead of their own.  I would like to look at three of the six today.  The first is we are to be subject to rulers and authorities.  God is the One who established a hierarchal system.  I do not always understand it and I don’t always like to submit to those over me.  Yet, if I am going to be unified, then I must willfully surrender my will to the will of the ruler or authority over that area of my life.  This statement is true as long as the ruler and authority do not violate God’s commands.  If, however, they do violate God’s commands, then we are bound by a greater Ruler and Authority which demands obedience to Him.  Now in subjecting our selves to authority, then we understand there are consequences for our loyalty to the Lord God.  We accept that punishment well and honor the Lord in the midst of the pain and sorrow.  Tied closely to this idea of being subject to rulers and authorities is a word I have already used, and am incapable of communicating subjection without, and that word is obedience.  We are called to be obedient.  Specifically that obedience is in reference to the Lord God.  He is the sovereign Lord over all of creation and He demands obedience to His commands and wishes.  It is important for us to understand God’s ways are easy and light.  Now when I say they are easy and light, I am not telling you they are not painful. It was painful for Daniel to be thrown in the lion’s den.  It was painful for three Hebrew men to be thrown in the fiery furnace.  Their love for the Lord made obedience to Him in contrast to the wishes of a sinful world easy.  They knew they had to obey the Lord and not mere mortals.  This idea is why I say the decision is easy.  The follow-through to obedience is not always because it can be painful.  Beloved, subject to the rulers and authorities around you and obey the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

Questions:

1. Are you subject and obedient to authorities, especially God’s rule?

2. How well do you serve other people?

Prayer: Father, help to never forget You are the One in control.  My responsibility is to surrender whole heartedly to You and Your will.  May my obedience point others to You.  Amen.

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Do you have the Big Mo?

Photo by Martin Weller

I have been thinking a lot lately about momentum.  John Maxwell in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership has a chapter dedicated to The Law of the Big Mo.  Maxwell writes, “Momentum is a leader’s best friend.”  In other words, when you have it, things run more smoothly and with less effort a lot of great results are generated.  When you don’t have it, things run sluggishly and a great deal of energy is required to get very little results.

An illustration to help visualize this idea is that of pushing a heavy ball up a hill.  It is very very difficult to get the ball moving up toward the top.  Even the slightest footfall and the ball starts to roll back on the one pushing it up the hill.  When one finally crests the pick and the ball starts rolling down, it picks up speed to the point you can’t keep up with it.  This illustration is a lot like momentum.  When you don’t have it, you are pushing the ball up the hill.  When you do have it, the ball rolls freely and without effort.

This idea of momentum goes both ways as well.  If an organization is growing, productive and the people of the organization are excited amazing things can happen because of this momentum.  This kind of organization just goes from peak to peak in terms of success and excellence.  People on the outside are wondering what the secret is to this organizations success.  The answer is momentum.

At the same time an organization may have reached its peak and had a hiccup.  When this hiccup happened a downward trajectory was initiated and before anyone realized what had happened the organization went weeks, months and years in a downward spiral.  The further down they went the faster they organizations death would pick up.

Let’s imagine an organization that has negative momentum going for it right now.  Is it possible for that organization to change directions?  The answer is yes, but it is going to take a lot of work.  A great deal of energy is going to have to be spent to stop that big rock of momentum from going any further down the path of death.

The problem is that often times leadership spends so much energy stopping the ball from rolling down the hill that once they have it stopped, they no longer have energy to push it back up the hill.  The sad reality is it will require more energy to get the ball rolling the other direction than it did to stop the downward spiral.  If the organization, however, truly does wish to change course and direction, then it is possible.  Better days for their future can be experienced.  Momentum can shift and good possibilities can be experienced.

Will you be one to help an organization advance to better days?

Or will you be one who complains and knick-picks and generates negative momentum?

What will your legacy be?

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Encourage the Redeemed to Seek Jesus

Photo by Kira Westland

Scripture: Titus 2:15

These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Insights: Today is our last thought regarding Sunday’s sermon.  Tomorrow I will write on another topic.  Regarding this final point from Sunday, however, let me begin with the first part of the verse.  Notice it tells us to speak.  This speaking is that of a teacher.  Notice Paul is telling Titus to speak these things.  These things are what we have been covering earlier this week.  The truths of Paul’s letter are to be taught to other people.  In other words, we are teaching these people how to seek after a stronger relationship with the Lord Jesus.  The next word is that of exhort.  In other words, we are to encourage others in their walk with Jesus.  When we notice they are down or have been beaten up we need to come along side them and encourage them in their faith.  The final word is that of reprove with all authority.  The authority is the authority found in Christ.  Titus does not need to rely on his authority especially since others are disregarding him because of his youthful age.  As a result, he needs to depend on the authority he has in Jesus as this overseeing of this church.  Because he is operating out of the authority of Jesus, he is able to reprove or correct these followers when they have walked into sin.  It is not always easy to speak these hard words into someone’s life, but we need to if we are going to be obedient to Jesus.  The key is to do it in love as Jesus would do it.  It is hard to live a Christian life, especially with public opinion all around us.  Yet, in Jesus we are able to walk valiantly with Him and seek Him for our betterment as well as the betterment of the body of Christ.  Let us do this work as a community of faith and be in awe of what God will do through us because of our faithfulness.

Questions:

1. How well do you take correction or reprove from another person?

2. How well do you lay aside the public opinion poll and trust in Jesus’ evaluation of your life?

Prayer: Father, let me be a person of speech who teaches, encourages and corrects people.  Let me be more concerned about Your thoughts than I am the thoughts of others.  Let me live a life under Your Lordship and grace.  Amen.

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Experience the Restoration of Jesus

Photo by Greg Johnston

Scripture: Titus 2:14

who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Insights: The purification process is not pleasant.  In fact, it hurts a lot.  The imagery is that of a precious metal like silver or gold being purified.  The metal worker would heat the raw material and bring it to a liquid state.  The dross would float to the top and the metal worker would scrap it off.  The way the story goes, if it is true I am uncertain, but the metal worker would know he had gotten to the pure silver and gold when he would look into the extremely hot liquid and see his own reflection.  As long as there were impurities in the metal they would prevent the reflection from happening.  Taking this imagery to Jesus’ work in our lives is that He is removing our dross of sin and He knows when He has purified us because He sees His reflection in us.  There is another part of this refining process that today’s verse points to and that is the good deeds.  Notice how Paul described our good deeds to Titus.  He said that one who is being purified by Jesus would be zealous for good deeds.  We don’t use that word zealous a lot in today’s modern language.  Rather we use the word excited.  When I use the word zealous or excited I am not talking about a crazy lunatic who is running around out of control.  I am, however, referencing some genuine energy about one’s life in Christ.  Does our face show we have been redeemed?  Does our speech reflect we have been redeemed?  Do our actions reflect we have been redeemed?  The answer ought to be a resounding yes.  Jesus is changing us into His image.  He desires for all to come to a saving knowledge of Himself.  He was the greatest communicator of truth who ever lived; and if we are becoming more like Him, then we are going to share Him.  We are going to be excited.  Beloved, let the transforming work of Christ purify your life and then be the greatest spokesperson you can be for Him.  Let Him become famous to all those around you.

Questions:

1. In what ways has Jesus purified you in recent days?

2. How has this purification process affected the way you live life?

Prayer: Father, I do not like to be disciplined, but I do want to be more like Jesus.  Humble me through Your gracious and correcting hand.  Transform me through Your discipline and let Jesus shine in my life.  Amen.

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Long for the Return of Jesus

Photo by Ian Barker

Scripture: Titus 2:13

looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

Insights: Today’s verse gives us the power behind our ability to live sensible and godly lives.  In other words, because we look forward with an expectant hope to Jesus second coming, we are able to confidently live on this side of eternity.  This hope is not just a mere fancy or wish.  It is deliberate.  We know Jesus is coming back and because we know this fact to be true it impacts the way we live in the here and now.  We do not just meander through life wondering what is going to happen next.  We press on with intentionality and purpose.  We allow the Spirit to push us outside of our comfort zone and do things we would normally not do if left to our own devices.  We are a conquering people who take ground and do not live in fear and doubt because we know Jesus is coming back to redeem His own.  This singular fact is a game changer in life.  Or, better stated, it ought to be a game changer in life.  If we really do know Jesus is coming back and He is only going to save His redeemed, then we ought to be out there telling others.  Yet, we know statistically only about 52% of evangelicals have shared their faith 1 time in the past 12 months.  48% did not share their faith AT ALL!  Of those 52%, Barna did not share how many shared the gospel more than once, but the underlying current of the article was not many.  The sad reality is we have a faith of theory and not a faith of fact.  We then wonder why 90% of our churches are in decline or stagnant.  It is because for many, we do not know Jesus is coming back, but rather wish He is coming back.  There was in Barna’s article a bright hope, however, and that was the Millennial generation.  65% or nearly 2/3rds of Millennials shared the gospel in the past 12 months.  They are the highest percentage generationally speaking of those who share their faith.  They may have the lowest number of believers in their age demographic, but of those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, they are truly committed.  They know He is coming again and they want as many people to go with them as they can.  Here is the link to the Barna research: Is Evangelism Going Out of Style? https://www.barna.org/barna-update/faith-spirituality/648-is-evangelism-going-out-of-style#.VwKlaqeUaSh.twitter

Questions:

1. When you think about Jesus’ return, what do you visualize that moment being like?

2. If Jesus’ return was today, would all of your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and acquaintances be with you?

Prayer: Father, increase my faith to be intentional about telling others about Jesus and His amazing love.  I long for the day of Jesus’ return, but am apprehensive because of the lostness surrounding me.  Grant me boldness to share my faith.  Amen.

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Start with a Relationship with Jesus

Photo by Dennis Hill

Scripture: Titus 2:11-12

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

Insights: The start of today’s verses point to the first coming of Jesus, as well as, to the reality that God and Jesus are the same.  Jesus is the One who appeared and He is God’s grace.  In essence this little phrase is taking us all the way back to John chapter one and specifically verse one and verse fourteen.  In those two verses we learn Jesus is God and He became flesh and dwelt among us.  Why did Jesus come?  The second phrase of today’s verses answer that question.  He came in order to bring salvation to all men.  After one has entered into that love relationship with our Lord and Savior, we then turn our attention to denying ungodliness and worldly desires.  The best way to remove those two areas of sin is to focus not on the sin but on the sensible, righteous and godly life the Lord desires for us to live.  In other words, don’t focus on the negative, but on the positive.  What you think about tends to happen.  So, if you want to live a sensible, righteous and godly life, then focus on the attributes and characteristics comprised of such a life.  If you want to be bound in your ungodliness and worldly desires, then think about how much of a stronghold they have on your life and you will be amazed at how often you fall prey to those desires.  Let me close today with just a few words on salvation.  Maybe you are one who has never received the free gift of eternal life found in Jesus.  There are some things you need to know.  Firstly, heaven is a free gift and it can’t be earned or deserved.  Secondly, man is a sinner and is not capable of saving himself.  Thirdly, God is merciful and loving and does not want to punish you, but at the same time, He is just and holy and must punish sin.  God solves this apparent contradiction in the person of His Son, Jesus.  Jesus is the infinite God-man.  He is fully God and fully man at the same time.  Jesus lived among humanity and taught them how to have a relationship with God.  He then died on a cross bearing the sins of the world, including yours.  He was buried on Friday and on that following Sunday morning, He rose from the dead.  You enter this relationship with Him through faith.  Faith is not mere head knowledge nor is it temporary in nature.  Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.  It is an entering into a relationship with Him.  It is life changing.  This truth is what God desires of you—a relationship with Him.

Questions:

1. With whom is God asking you to share the gospel?

2. Is there anything hindering you from being obedient to Him?

Prayer: Father, You are always drawing on my heart to walk in obedience to You.  You desire for all people to come to know Your Son, Jesus.  Increase my faith and boldness and help me to share Your love regularly and consistently.  Amen.

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Jesus’ Resurrection resulted in Mixed Responses

Photo by Allan

Scripture: Luke 24:11-12

But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

Insights: Unfortunately in this world there are always going to be skeptics and cynics.  It is just a fact of life.  I had a conversation last week with a man who had bought into the Dan Brown DaVinci Code idea and believed Jesus had married and procreated children.  I would put this gentleman in the category of a skeptic and doubter of the authenticity of the Scriptures.  For some people they have become so intellectually invested that they believe Christian faith is beneath them.  There are some people who have been so hurt by the pains of this world that they doubt the existence of an all powerful God.  There are still numerous other reasons people don’t the existence and power of God.  I would put the disciples on this day as those who have experienced intense pain to such a degree they find faith hard to grasp.  Yet, look at  Peter.  He had denied Jesus three times just a few days earlier and now he is running to the tomb.  He went to his house marveling.  I think Peter is believing in the power of the resurrection.  I think he has heard the proclamation of the women and he believes.  Whenever we share the Good News these two responses are going to be found.  There are those who will not receive Jesus’ free gift and there are those who will.  Now, when someone rejects Jesus’ gift, do not cast them off as being eternally reprobate.  Rather, trust the Holy Spirit to continue doing a work in their lives.  Trust Him to give you future opportunities to share.  Trust Him to change their hearts.  Trust Him to take their lives through the difficult days which will prepare them for the day in which they will be receptive to the gospel.  I want you to remember, that even though (in this account of Luke) Peter is the only one who runs to the tomb, that eventually all eleven of them come to believe in Jesus’ resurrection.  Praise the Lord He did not give up on them.  Let us not give up on people either.  Let us not be surprised when they reject the gospel either.  Let us be aware both responses are possible, but we will keep praying and sharing.  

Questions:

1. Would you characterize your life as one of faith or skepticism?

2. In what ways are you running to Jesus to prove your faith?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I have doubted Your goodness and grace.  Help me to be a person of faith and to believe in the possibilities found in You.  Amen.

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