Okay, back to Titus chapter two. Titus chapter 2. Terry, the title
of this message is in verse 1 of chapter 2, Things Which Become
Sound Doctrine. So that's the title. I could have given it a couple
of other titles which are found in this chapter, such as Adorning
the Doctrine in All Things. Or we've been thinking about
things, haven't we? More things to think on. I could
have entitled it that. More things to think on. Look
at those of you who've been here. You remember we studied that. Think on these
things. And then we talked about flee
these things and follow after these things and so forth. Look
at chapter two verse one says speak thou the things which become
sound doctrine. Verse fifteen. These things speak. Chapter three verse eight look
over there. Chapter three verse eight this
is a faithful saying. And these things I will that
thou affirm constantly that They which have believed in God might
be careful to maintain good work." These things, these things are
good and profitable unto men. So I want to, John, we're going
to look at some good and profitable things. Good and profitable things,
things that he says that I should speak and exhort. things which
adorn this doctrine that we preach, and things that become or becoming
sound doctrine. Think. We'll think on some more
things. Things which become sound doctrine. Now, as a wise father
would order his household in all things, as much as possible,
he would oversee and order all things concerning his children. Well, God Almighty has done that. He hath ordered all things for
his people, right paths, right paths, right ways for his people
to walk therein. He is the all-wise, kind, Heavenly
Father, and he has ordered all things and right paths for his
children. He says in Jeremiah, he says,
Stand and seek and search for the good path. The old ways.
Wherein is the good path. And you'll find some rest therein. Walk therein. You'll find rest,
he said. Good things. These are good things. Wherein is the good way? Good
life? Yes. The good life. The good life. Listen to these
verses. Listen to me. Listen to, not
me, but God's Word. He said in Isaiah 45, he says,
I said not unto the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain. I have the Lord speak righteousness
I declare things that are right. He said I declare things that
are right. So I didn't say seek me in vain
or to be useless if you try to say oh you find that I declare
things that are right. Listen to this Proverbs twenty
eight. They that seek the Lord understand
all things. or have an understanding of these
things. Listen to 1 Corinthians 2. You
know these verses. The natural man, though, receiveth
not the things of God. Right? The natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God. They're foolishness unto him.
Neither can he know them. They're spiritually discerned.
But he that is spiritual understandeth all things." Now, we're going to look at some
good things God has given us, things in a right path, things
of the Spirit of God, good things. Yeah better things the best good
better yeah best thing a good way God's way which is opposite
of ours which is opposite of the world and God said my ways
are not your way. My ways are not your way he said
with every man. Thanks there is a way the way
that is right on the other this way God says That's not my way. It's the wrong way to go. Young people want to go their
way, don't they? God says that's not the way to go. It's the wrong
way. He says the end is death and
destruction. He said my way is the right way. The right way
to lead them to everlasting life. All right, look at chapter 2,
verse 15. We'll start with the last verse
first, because this is a A commandment to me, the preacher.
And chapter one is, most of the chapter one is written to this
young preacher named Titus. He was the first bishop at this,
to the Cretans, this isle of Crete. He was the first pastor
of this church and Paul, the older preacher and apostle is
writing to him and instructing him in chapter one. And I read it and was rebuked.
I was exhorted and rebuked and helped. And chapter two also
is helped. I hear he's writing to me. He
says in verse fifteen, and I'm young. Yes, I'm young. I am. These things speak. He said to
young Titus and the men these things preach these things declare
these things teach these things these things speak. What we just
read. And exhort. These things exhort. And that means to encourage to
put into practice exhort exhort put this into practice that's
what it means to exhort do this. Do what he says. Whatsoever he
saith unto you do it. Mary exhorted him in whatever
he said do it. And he tells me exhort them and
rebuke. Rebuke that means to admonish
or approve those who do not these things and who may argue with
these things. I don't think anyone here at
all would argue with these things at all but we all certainly need
to be admonished concerning all these things, me included. It
says, do it with all authority. If any man speak, let him speak
how? As the oracles of God, the very
authority of God. This is what thus saith the Lord.
Not up for debate, discussion, it's not a share session. The
Lord says, with all authority, let no man despise thee. Or in
other words, You're not preaching. To get a man you're not preaching
for approval you're not preaching with with people with the opinions
or thoughts of people in mind at all. Doesn't matter. What anybody thinks. All right
you're preaching you're teaching you're speaking these things
because God said do it all right. OK. All right, good things, right
things, things that become sound doctrine, that adorn the doctrine.
This will meet everybody. Like I said, young and old, male
and female, young and old, male and female, workers. I thought,
like I said, sitting down, reading, thinking about you all going
to work and so forth, and various things that you go through in
this life. What do we need? Lord, we need...
And I began reading this and it just... We need all these
things. This is where we live. This is
where the rubber meets the road here, and this will hit somebody
somewhere. All right? Verse 1 of chapter
2, let's look at it. He says, Speak thou the things
which become sound doctrine, which become or are becoming
to. You've heard the word becoming, haven't you? That dress is very
becoming to you. Oh, that's very becoming. It's
befitting to you. You look good in that. That's
what that means. You look good in that. It's becoming
to you. That fits you well. But it says, here speak things
which are becoming sound doctrine, that which fits sound doctrine.
We have sound doctrine here, don't we? Sound doctrine. That means biblical, God's Word,
truth. Sound doctrine. Sound doctrine. Pure doctrine. Doctrine of Christ. Doctrine of God, our Savior,
the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of sovereign grace, and we can
go on and on with doctrine. I've got too many verses to cover.
No, we preach sound doctrine here, don't we? Sound doctrine,
God's Word, and that'll sum it all up, won't it? What do we
preach? What God says in his Word concerning himself, concerning
ourselves, concerning his Son. Sound doctrine. Well, these things,
he says, they're fitting. sound doctrine. It fits with
sound doctrine. This type of teaching goes well
with sound and true teaching. All right. Verse two. Aged men. Aged men. Child. I said aged men. Aged men. There aren't too many
here tonight, but Aged man, I don't know what age that is, but it's
older anyway. Older man, he says this, to you. Aged man, verse 2, be sober.
That doesn't mean talking about drinking. It means sober. Do
you have a marginal reference to that? It says vigilant. Or
that is watchful. Another good word is circumspect
or. Keeping a watch over. All things
your. Your lips your conduct your and
things around you having an eye open to all things be sober. Prudence like a watchman keeps
vigil. Older men here. ought to be grounded
and settled and solid and watchful and are watching out for, watching
over this church, watching our young people, watching over the
family and so forth. Sober, that's what that means.
Read on. Aged men be grave. The word grave here means somebody
worthy of honor. Somebody worthy of respect. That's
what that means. Venerable is a fancy word, but
it means somebody that needs to be respected, looked up to,
worthy of honor. Aged men. Can I conclude? I need some aged men here. Joe?
Aged men? William? Hodges? You ain't no
spring chicken. Aged man. He said that we need
some we need to be we you need to be. Men our children may look
up to as example. Honorable men. Men worthy of
honor. And not just good old guys. Funny old fellows you know but. Men that hold honor and respect. Then he goes on, he says, and
listen, as I read these things, every one of us fall way short.
And these aren't standards by which to judge ourselves. Or
we'll be, we'll go out here miserable tonight. Every one of us will
go out here miserable and say, I'm not any of those things.
He's exhorting us. This reason he's telling if we
had it down, Joe, if we had arrived, he wouldn't even say it. I mean,
we wouldn't need it. Joe, you can go home now. This
doesn't apply to you. Right? But you need it. So, you
see, you know, don't, let's not leave here all depressed and
thinking, oh, I failed miserably, because he's telling us. He's exhorting us. Be this way,
by God's grace, all right? Great tempered. The word tempered
there means moderation in all things tempered tempered tempered
tempered that mean that you know it's it's not allowed to run
well. And that goes for your temper
that goes for your temper and the appetites and so forth it's
found in the faith the next word. Aged men be sound in faith. Sound in faith. Oh, my. There's nothing a church needs
more than men, aged men who are sound in faith. And I've been places where there was a want of or a lack
of men who were sound in faith. Grounded and settled, I mean,
know whom and what they believe, and they're not about to change. This is one way that it's good
to be set in your way. This is one way. It's one thing
that a man, a woman, the older they get, they need to get set.
Settled in this way. Right and ground is sound in
the faith, unmoved, unmovable, unshakable, sound in the faith,
solid in the faith. That's what that means, sound,
solid in the faith. And what is that? We could sum
it all up. Sovereign grace. Settle, that
thing's settled. It's been settled a long time
ago in your mind and our And that's what you're going to believe
by God's grace the day you die right William. You believe salvation
is of the Lord. Salvation is all in Christ. Yet. Where are you going to go not
going to go anywhere. Here I stand. I can go nowhere
else. I can do no other. Sound and
effect. Until the day you die. He was
on he was Grounded and settled and unmoved. He was sound in
the faith. Sound in the faith. In charity,
next word, love. It says, in the next word, it
says it's sound in faith and in charity. That is, be a lovable
fellow. Be a lovable fellow in love.
Be a loving fellow, aged men. Lovable and loving. Make some—provoke
somebody to love. Don't just provoke them. Provoke
them to love. Aged men sometimes get old and
cantankerous. What's that mean? Tell me, what's
cantankerous, man? Anyway, that's the way they get
sometimes. Believers ought not get that
way. They ought to get soft. The old rock solid on the gospel,
Softer. Oh, softer. He's easy. He's a
pushover. He's a lovable fellow. Lovable and loving. That's what
we ought to be. Read on. And impatience. Sound impatience. Calm and collected. Not impulsive or impetuous, but
patience. Patience. All right? Aged women. They'll be careful who I call
on here and ages women, whoever that may apply to. Aged women, aged women, verse
three, aged women, likewise. In other words, he's saying all
of the above. Everything is said to aged men
should apply to aged women. It applies to age, all of this
and more. Read on. Aged women, likewise,
that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, or that is, women professing
godliness, or holy women, God's women, God's women, Christ's
followers, a Mary, a Martha, a Mary, a Martha, Christ's followers,
Christ's women, Christ's like, his followers, becoming Christ
like women not silly women. And this won't offend any of
you ladies because none of you are this way. But the scriptures
talks about silly women. And there are lots of those silly
men for that matter but women are more prone to this sort of
thing. Silly women. But you're not so don't be that
way. Be a wise woman. The only truly wise are those
that are godly women or Christ's women followers and read on they
may teach. Age women likewise that they
be in behavior becoming whole not false accusers and this is
what silly women are prone to do in false accusers that's another
term for rumor mongers. Did you hear. Silly one that's
all silly women got to do and is talk about people. Somebody,
what was that old saying? It said, great minds talk about concepts
and theories. Good minds talk about things and events. Small minds
talk about people. That's good. Great minds talk
about theories and concepts and so forth. Ideas. Average minds
talk about things and events and happenings. Small minds,
people, talk about people. Well, don't be given the false
accusing, the make-baits the word is, or gossip or rumor-mongering. Read on. Not given the much wine. This is needful, but I don't
I don't think any of our ladies have a problem with this. At
any rate, don't do it. Don't be given or taken with. And there was a problem back
then. There really was, because that's about all they drank back
then. Water wasn't paid for drinking. And I had it with every and there
was a real promise that it was common to be wine beavers back
then. And maybe there are you know
there are a lot of housewife alcoholic type housewives these
days but y'all aren't given to that. At any rate there is the
exhortation. Teachers of good things. Verse
three. Teachers of good things. Teachers of good things. What
things? Well what sort of things are
true. What sort of things are honest. What sort of things are just.
What sort of things are pure. What sort of things are good
or poor. If there be any virtue. If there be any praise. Teach. Not only think on these things.
But he says now teach these things. Well who are you going to teach
ladies? You're not going to teach your husband. You will teach
look at verse four the young women. If they may teach the
young women hopefully the husband will be teaching her these things.
But you he says teach the young women or children or young men
young people young boys. Teach the young women and children
we have some ladies. And I just can't I can't say
enough about. We have some ladies that are
teaching our young people, our daughters, that just, our people. I wish everybody could sit in
on these classes and listen as Vicki Patton teaches our little
one. You're talking about getting
a solid foundation in the scriptures and training our children up
in the way they should go. I'm so thankful, I am so thankful
for these ladies. I wish, I wish everyone knew
and could sit in on what they're doing. And I advise you, I really
do, to go down there whenever you can and look around their
classroom. Just look around. You just look around and you'll
see what our children are getting, our grandchildren. It's invaluable,
Joe. Aren't you so thankful for what
Joseph and Lauren are getting? Oh, my. Can't put a premium on
it, buddy, can you? And Deborah, man, these ladies
have got their heart in this thing. And my wife, she comes,
she tells me her whole lesson sometimes. And I think, well,
I'm just going to take that word to word and preach it Sunday
morning. It's so good. And not only the gospel, but
teaching our young people things that they're not going to learn
in school. Certainly not the gospel. They won't learn that
there, but things they will not learn in school and things they
won't really learn as intensively at home. God's ways, Bible, Biblical,
sound teaching for our young boys and young girls, dealing
with them about marriage, about dating, about sex, about dealing
with all these things, pulling no punches, mincing no words,
telling them like it is, like God says it is, or should be. Oh, we need that, don't we? Our
children are getting that, Terry. They're getting that, and it's
invaluable, teaching them. Well, all ladies should have
a hand in on this, and it says, teach the young women Teach the
young women, verse four, to be sober. There's that word again. It is a little different this
time. It means to tell, now still talking to you aged, aged women. Made a mistake and looked at
the wrong person. Aged women. Ellen, you don't
mind, do you? I mean, aged women. Teach the young women
to be sober. That means to be wise, not foolish
or silly or without understanding. Teach them to be young ladies,
young women that are wise thinkers. Use your heads. Use your head. Don't lose it. Use God's wisdom. Think on these
things. Teach them these things. Read
on. Teach them to be sober, to love
their husbands, to love their children. Teach them that if
they are to marry, teach them to do it for love and make sure
they know what love is or else they're in for a miserable time. Love. Don't do it for lust. Don't
do it out of infatuation. Teach them to marry for love,
and no other reason. Love, and make certain it's true
love. And here's ways to love that
you teach young ladies to love their husbands and children.
Here's the way you do it. Verse 5. You do so, if you really
love them, you'll be discreet. That is, you'll be an example
in conduct And speech, this word discretion comes from discreet,
and it means to have wise conduct and speech and just be generally
sound in character. Discretion. He's a discreet,
she's a discreet person. She thinks about things, thinks
things through and acts wisely and speaks, thinks about what
she says before she says. That's discretion. We all need
that, don't we? Teach the young ladies that teach
them to be. Chased. And not only. Morally pure or. Without. Sexual indecency but that means
to be modest and free from indecent actions or speech chased read
on the big keepers at home. Keepers at home. If young ladies and I hope our
aged women will instill this in. Our young ladies. In order to have a true home.
They don't have to stay at home. In order to have a true home.
What kind of home did you grow up in a woman. In order to have a true home.
You can have to stay at home and make it a home. Not a place
where you're there occasionally. Listen to me. Now listen to me. This is what God has said, isn't
it? I told you now, the natural man doesn't receive this. The natural woman won't receive
this. Certainly not in our generation. Just won't have this. God is
ordained not only for salvation, But our happiness—order, universal
order. And in the home, to ensure some
peace and some tranquility, maybe even the salvation of some. Men
are to be head of the home, provider for the home, and women are to
be keepers of the home, especially when children are
involved. And oh, that we would teach our
daughters that the highest calling and most honorable profession
on the face of this earth is to be a wife and a mother." Huh? All right, read on. And that's God's Word, isn't it?
Teach them that. Teach them that. to be good,
that is considerate, kind, thoughtful, genuine, good, obedient to their
husbands. Boy, that's out the window in
this day. Obedient to their husbands. For
a family to function properly, there's got to be a head. Right? Any ship. Every ship. Has. One captain
one person at the helm if you got two people pulling the wheel
let's go this way no I think this way no. Run aground. If you don't have
one head you're going to have to go on what head to head. Right. Let the word of God be not blaspheme."
Verse 5. Let the word of God be not blaspheme. Or that is, the word of God teaches
us, above all things, to show humility, to be in subjection. Doesn't it? Submit yourselves
one to another. Meekness. The word of God tells us that
man is ahead of the woman. as Christ is the head of the
church. Our generation would just love, love to throw that
out the window, wouldn't it? Well, God ordained it that way,
and it's the good way, and it's the right way. Let's teach our
young ladies that before it's forgotten forever. Forgotten
forever. Well, hopefully they'll marry
a young man who knows Christ and will act like a head and
not a... Well, let's go on. He says, young men, now, young
men. All right, that applies to me.
And you, Stan, John, and the rest of us, Sam. Young men. Young
men, he says, likewise. So that is all of the above.
All these things apply to everyone without exception. Likewise,
everything that was said to the aged women applies to you. Everything to the men applies
to you. Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded,
and the same word, discreet, sound-minded in judgment. That's
hard for a young man to come by. It really is. But he exhorts us, by the grace
of God, to do so. be of sound mind and judgment.
Verse seven. In all things, show in thyself
a pattern of good work or example or role model to your wife, to
your children, to young people that are watching you. I was
thinking, you know, they have this organization, Big Brothers. out there, and it's a good thing,
isn't it? These guys, young men, take young
boys, you know, and be a brother to them, boys that don't have
fathers or much family, and they be a brother to them. You know,
they go play basketball with them, just do things. That's
good, isn't it? That is a good thing. Well, our young men ought
to be that to our young, to our little fellows, shouldn't they? Our young men ought to take these
little fellows in our group under their wing and be a big brother
to them. They might say, hey, this gospel
stuff ain't square after all. I mean, this ain't old fogey,
you know, uncool stuff. You know what I mean? What I'm trying to say, it's
hard to say it, but oh, we had little Andrew and others, you
know, In. So easily influenced right now.
Who need good role models and are nobody could do it better
than the young man in this church we. Role models to these young
boys. And I read on he says a pattern
of good work in doctrine verse seven in doctrine. Showing incorrupt
uncorruptedness or that is moral. Instructions to your family if
you're married. Read on verse seven gravity there's
that word again. I earn respect and honor be honorable. Be honorable sincerity that means
true honest sincere verse eight sound speech. That is not given
the constant foolishness but sound speech sound speech civil
tone then decent Be slow to speak, sound speeches of someone who
studies before they answer. They all need that. Verse eight,
that cannot be condemned, that he that is of contrary part may
be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. Verse nine, exhort
servants. Now that's everyone that works.
Everyone here that works a job out there in the world. Servants,
workers. This applies to everyone that
works. How are we to conduct ourselves on the job? Verse 9.
Be obedient unto their own masters, unto their own employers. Be
obedient unto them. Be obedient. That is, and it
reads on, it says, that we please them well in all things. Why,
he's a company man. Well good. He works for the company. Well he's out he's trying to. He's a company man he's trying
to please the boss he's trying to. Well that's what he's out
to do. They gave him a job. He didn't have a right to that
job. The company hired him. To work for them to do whatever
they say. Didn't they Stan? If they say
sweep the floor. What should you do sweep the
floor. If they say do this what should
you do do that wherever they say what that's who gave you
the job so you work for and that's what we're to do please them
do a good job and a job to please your employer and he says read
on he says please they're not answering again. That means talking
back then that. Don't talk back. Boss gives you
a job you don't particularly like. What are you to do? Argue
with him? No. You should be thankful you got
a job. No matter how menial the task. Try this. It might give you a promotion. Try this. Thank you. Sweep the
floor. Thank you. I'd be delighted to.
I appreciate that. You know, I'm getting bored of
being a foreman. I'll sweep you. I'll sweep that
floor. Thank you. I consider it a privilege to do it. It means
sweeping. Somebody's got to sweep it. You might be vice president
next week. You never know. Those things
go a long way. Don't talk back. Don't talk back. You know reaction to authority
and this is for young. Father. And husband's reaction
to authority you come home where you speak of. The government
or speak of your job or employer or the church especially the
church where things are at. Weighs mildly heavily on your
children. And the way they're going to
turn out. It sure does. It holds a lot of influence on
men about what kind of worker they're going to be, about what
kind of citizen they're going to be, what they're going to
think about this gospel. Mr. Gaddy and Mama, all they
got to say is bad things about the preacher of the church. They
ain't going to have much use for the gospel, are they? I see
it happening right now. in some youngs. Verse 10, he
said, not purloining, that means stealing, purloining or stealing
time. Not stealing time, but showing all good fidelity. That
is being a faithful, trustworthy employee. So, that they may adorn
the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. That's what he
sums this up by saying, that this Teach them, exhort, speak,
exhort, rebuke with all authority these things, that they may,"
that who? "...that the old and young may
adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things." This is
adorning the doctrine. What do you all believe down
there at Central Baptist Church? Sovereign grace. Let me tell
you what we believe. And then you go out and act like
a A fool. And then sovereign grace
has a bad name, doesn't it? Huh? Central Baptist Church has
a bad name. This gospel you profess to believe
has a mighty be trodden underfoot, won't it? Isn't that right? He says that's what this is all
about. That we may adorn the doctrine. of God our Savior. I would have loved to just preach
on that verse, John, by itself, God our Savior. He says that
four or five times throughout Titus, God our Savior, leaving
no doubt who Christ is, God. But what this was all about,
here it is, read verses 11 on. And let me say, give you this
illustration, this will stick with you. Jonathan Edwards, His. His son when his son-in-law
David Brainer was his son-in-law all right David Brainer was John
Jonathan Edwards son-in-law David Brainer was probably one of the
finest man to walk this planet. You want good reading read the
life of David Brainer. At any rate Jonathan Edwards
made this statement and David Brainer died when he was twenty
nine years old. He was a missionary to the Indians.
It walked through the snow spitting up blood to preach the Indians. And he died when he was twenty
nine years old. Twenty nine. Twenty nine. That's young isn't
it? Oh, that's young. But he lived in such a way and
made such an impression on people. Jonathan Edwards said this as
an older man. Jonathan Edwards said, And he'd
seen a lot come and go. Jonathan Edwards said, any religion, any religion that produces a
David Bringer is worth looking into and is worth following. Boy, oh boy. Like Fritzie said about me, when
you stand I told you about that fellow that called up Todd Nyberg,
about one of his members, didn't I? A young man, a doctor that
this young man worked for, called up Todd Nyberg on the phone.
He said, you don't know me, but one of your men works for me. And he said his name. He said, I just want to know
what you all believe, because whatever it is that this young
man believes and is following, he said, I want to be that way.
I want to believe that, because he's got something that I need."
Boy, that's good, isn't it? That's what Paul's saying to
Titus. In all these things that we may
adorn, what are we doing it for? That God may be glorified in
all things. We're not just doing it so people can say, well, he's
a good fellow. They have their reward. That's
what the Pharisees did, didn't they? They loved to stand on
the street corners and loved to look pious, and they grew
their beards and wore their black... I don't know if they did that
or not, but they... At any rate, they looked the
part, so everybody'd know they were real pious people. That
ain't it. It's not the clothing you wear.
It's how you adorn the doctrine. Not how you adorn yourself physically. It's adorning the doctrine. That
God may be glorified in all things. Read on. Now, here's what it
teaches us. Here's what the gospel teaches us. Boy, let somebody
take this to those people that call us anti-no-men or anti-law
or loose livers. Pass this tape out to our de-reform. Verses 11 on. For the grace of
God that brings salvation. What brings salvation? The grace
of God. The grace of God that brings
salvation. What brings salvation? The grace of God. He didn't say
these things bring salvation. Or that God will look on you
with favor if you do these things and save you. No. These things
are the results of salvation. The grace of God that brings
salvation hath appeared to all men. He's talking about old men,
young men, you know, older women, younger women, all sorts of men.
That's what he said in Timothy, another place, kings, all inner
authority. Teaching us, this is what the
grace of God teaches us, not that we can live like the devil
or live for ourselves, no. Verse 12, teaching us, that denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, that we should live soberly,
righteously, godly. in this present world. And that's
how we want to live. Well, you want to live, Nancy?
Well, sure it is. You don't want to live ungodly,
unrighteous. Not at all. But live this way. That's what
it teaches us then. Verse 13. Looking for that blessed
hope. Boy, I love this verse. I was
tempted to just preach on this one verse. looking for that blessed
hope. What's that blessed hope? It's
a person. Oh, my hope, my hope is built
on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not
trust the sweetest frame but holy lean on his precious name,
on Christ. So that's my hope, that blessed
hope. and the glory, oh what a verse
this is, and the glorious appearing, looking for that blessed hope,
looking for Christ, and the glorious appearing, oh what an appearance,
what a day that, what a day that will be. The glorious appearing
of, this, this verse I, it's too good, the great God, that blessed and the glorious
appearing of the Great God. Now, what about your God? Oh,
our God's this way. Our God's that way. What about
your God, David? Our God's great. The Great God. Sitteth in the
heavens. He hath done whatsoever he pleased.
He's the Great God and our Savior. Well, who is this God? Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ. You believe Jesus
Christ is God, you better believe He's the great God and our Savior. Jesus Christ. I always think
of Isaiah 25 when I read anything about Christ's deity. It says,
this, it shall be said in that day, that great day of the Lord,
this is our God. Lo, this is our God. We've waited
for Him. He'll save us. This is the Lord. We're waiting for him. We'll
be glad and rejoice in his salvation. I like that. Isaiah 25, 9. If
you want to write that out to the side of that verse. The great
God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Isaiah 25, 9. Who? What did he do? He gave himself
for us. He gave himself for us. And that's
what he's exhorting us to do in all these verses, and give
ourselves to him and to others for us. Why did he do this? Why did he give himself? Why
did he give his life? Why did he shed his blood? Why
did he do what he did to redeem us? We needed to redeem him. We needed to save him. And we
couldn't do it ourselves, but he did it to redeem us from all
iniquity. And he did it. He did it. He did it. And purify unto himself. Why did he do it? Not just to
save us from the penalty and the punishment of sin, but from
the power of sin. To purify unto himself. To purify a peculiar people. zealous of good work. Peculiar
people, zealous of good work. So that is, a people like Christ. That would sum it
up, wouldn't it? That would be a good one. A people
like Christ. That's why Christ died. To give
himself for us, to redeem us, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good work, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk there in his good work. Then he closes
and well these things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority.
Chapter three look at that verse again. Chapter three verse eight
look over there again I'll quit. Chapter three verse eight it
says now this is a faithful saying or Paul is saying to young Titus
everything I say is faithful to you. It's good for you. These are good things. These
are right things. Paul says Titus this I'm being faithful to your
soul. I'm being faithful to God's Word.
I'm being faithful to the aged men, the aged women, the young
men and young women. These things are good. These
things are right. This is, according to God's Word,
sound doctrine. It cannot be condemned. These
are good things, things that become sound doctrine, that adorn
the doctrine of God. And these things I will, verse
8, I will that thou affirm constantly." Teach these things constantly.
Well, you're teaching, you're preaching works. Well, no, we're
just going through God's Word, you know. It doesn't have anything
to do with, I mean, it won't save us. It does have something
to do with salvation, though. It does. That's what salvation's
all about. That's what we read it there,
didn't it? They affirm constantly the day which had believed in
God might be careful or use care to maintain good work. These
things are good. Are these good things, Fannie?
Are they profitable to you? Well, I know they are profitable
to me. What I need, I know you need.
What you need, I need. We need the same things. We deal
with the same thing, the same sin, the same needs, the same
world we live in. God is saying yesterday, today,
and forever. His words are saying, and these
things are good and profitable to all. Good things. Think on
these things. Think on these things. Don't
let the fowls of the air come and remove these things. Think on these things. These
are things that are true. These are things that are honest
and so forth. All right, stand with me. The Father is the only one that
can cause us to think on these things, to remember these things,
and that's you. Only you can imprint these things
or impress us with these things. Only you can instill these things
within us. Only you can hide this Word in
our hearts. We can't do it without you. We can do nothing. We can't take
a step in the right direction apart from your sovereign, constraining
grace. And we will go astray and go
a wrong way unless you restrain us by your grace. So, Lord, we
call upon you in every endeavor, in every good and perfect work,
we call upon you to perfect that which concerneth
us. We call upon you to establish thou the works of our hands.
We call upon you to make us beautiful through your work, through your
work. And we want this all for your
glory, not our glory, but thy glory, that we may adorn this
blessed saving doctrine of God our Savior in all things, our
reasonable service. We want to be like Christ, whom
we admire and love. And we ask that you would, by
your grace, enable us to heed the doers of your word, not just
hearers only. In Christ's name we pray, amen.