Sermon Nuggets Mon Oct 31 Changed Lives
Verses Titus 3:1-3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,
2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Changed Lives
In 1994 at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. a small, frail woman with no political credentials stood fearlessly at the podium surrounded by President and Mrs. Clinton and various government leaders.
She stood up and said, "I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion. It is a war against the child direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself.." She went on to say how abortion is the opposite of love; it show neglect of patriarchal responsibility and will increase in further abuses.
"Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion."
The crowd rose in thunderous applause. For that woman was Mother Theresa. When President Clinton rose to speak he said, "It's hard to argue with a life so well lived." How can a aged, weak, stooped woman catch the attention of influential leaders? It came not by political lobbying or leverage, but the power of a life lived with integrity, love and credibility, living for the Lord and serving others.
Paul is telling Titus to tell his people that what we do makes a difference. How Jesus in our lives affects our lives will affect others.
Paul reminds Titus to "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient." What is going to speak to others is our attitude that we have toward them. It is not easy in our individualistic society to want to submit to anything. Yet the Bible mentions to subject or submit 66 times. Part of God's plan for order is that people are given responsibilities of authority and leadership. They are to carry out the works of God by having others recognize that authority and leadership and give them the attitude that is willing to comply, or submit without rebellion, disobedience, or mockery.
There are people most certainly who abuse their positions of authority. There are times when one must chose between the authority of God in doing what is right, against the authority of a leader who leads people to do what is wrong.
How can a Mother Theresa be asked to speak before the president and express the words of truth she did? I believe it was because she knew the greatest authority over all kings and presidents. Because God changed her life He used her to be His witness even to those in authority over nations.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Nov 1 Cooperation
God is the prime authority in our lives, but do not forget that it is part of his will to give responsibility of authority to kings, rulers, governors, officers, generals, elected and appointed officials, to husbands, to wives, to parents, to employers, to judges, to officers of peace, etc. Otherwise our society would be in chaos. Christians are charged by the Word of God to submit to authorities and obey them.
Always be ready to do what is good. God calls us to righteousness, He calls us be light in the darkness, and to be salt to the world. We can discern the will of God if we ask what would be the good thing to do. Not what is legal, or what is profitable, or what benefits me, or what rights do I have? But what is the good thing to do that would be a witness to the Lord?
Joseph Stowell the president of Cornerstone University, was in a conversation with a lawyer he just met. They discovered they had a mutual friend. The lawyer he said, "Art is like no other client I have. Most of my clients want me to keep them out of trouble no matter what it costs. When Art is in a difficult situation and he calls on me to unravel it, I always ask, ‘Art, what do you want me to do?’ Art’s reply is always the same, ‘Do whatever is right.’ I have no other client who responds like that."
If we had friends who met and they discussed knowing us what would they say? Would it be a positive testimony to the Lord? Doing what is right and good does influence our society. What we do and what we say reflects on our faith in Jesus Christ. Doing good also includes our tongue as well as our attitude. Titus is to teach other "to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men."
More damage is done in churches that people who slander. Slander in the Bible is evil, malicious talk intended to damage or destroy another person Ps.50:19 "You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit." Slander is prohibited in the ninth commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"
In your relationships seek to be peaceable and considerate. One who seeks to do what brings about peace among brothers among communities among families is doing the work of God.
A Christian ought always to seek peace and working out what needs to be worked out to bring about consideration of others. The Bible says blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. James 3:18 "Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
Lastly, show true humility to all people. A freedom from arrogance that grows out of the recognition that all we have and are comes from God. Jesus is the supreme example of humility. Biblical humility is not belittling of oneself, but an exalting or praising of others, especially God and Christ. Phil 2:3 " Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves". A humble person focuses more on God and others than on himself. True humility does not produce pride but gratitude.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Nov 2 – Unsaved Life
Verse Titus 3:3
Changed Attitudes
Something happened to the people. Although they recall the charge of what they want to be and ought to be, they certainly were not the people they used to be? Are you?.
Ken Zintak tells in an article how he and his friend Mark when they were in high school would take advantage of girls, party and see how much they could drink. His friend got into increasing trouble with alcohol and chemical abuse when in college. Then during the summer of the senior year, Mark called and told Ken "I've come to the Lord." Ken scoffed, "Give me a break"
When they got together he noticed a big change in Mark. He stopped drinking, he was nicer to people, he renewed his relationship with his parents. He would talk about God as if they were buddies, companions. Many times Ken tried to get Mark back to his old ways. He was bold enough to say after continued badgering, "I don't think I can handle being there. I might resort to my old ways."
They would argue about faith in Christ. One day Mark said, "One day you'll come the Lord." When either would start dating new girls they always talked in detail about their physical characteristics and exploits, but Mark described his new girl friend's heart and character. Ken tried to redirect the conversation but Mark showed that Lord changed his heart so much that what he saw in her were her outlook, her personality, her character, and where she stood with God.
Ken admitted there was a purpose in his old friend that he didn't have. He decided to attend a church and was introduced to the saving power of Jesus Christ. Mark was the first person he called. Mark’s response? I knew this day would come."
What God used was the change in Mark's life to bring Ken to questioning his own relationship to God. Paul wants us to remember how far we've come in our lives.
He had changed attitudes: "At one time we too were foolish,"
In the Bible, the most foolish person of all is one who denies the reality of God the Father: "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" Ps. 14:1. Jesus also contrasted wise and foolish persons as those who would listen to the word of God and put it to practice with those who would listen but continue on living as if it didn't matter.
I really didn't understand all the benefits of growing up in a Christian home until much later in life. I realize now, how much hurt I avoided by seeking to follow Christian principles at a young age. I think about some of the lives of kids who did whatever they wanted, and they could no longer say no to their desires and lusts and paid deep consequences from the pain in life which I was spared- drugs, alcohol, teen pregnancies, dropping out of school, lack of job, lack of family ties.
Yet I also know many who were saved through those experiences and are able to tell you of the grace and mercy of God. Those who were saved later in life can tell you what they were saved out of. The greatest thing I remember before knowing Christ was I had fear of going to Hell, but when I trusted in Jesus who will bring me to heaven, fear was replaced with faith.
When people realized how foolish they were in ignoring God they couldn't believe they were so blind. When people realize their sin how foolish they could be in keeping on sinning. That's how we were.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Nov 3- Unsaved Actions
Verse- Titus 3:3
Changed Actions
In additions to the change of attitudes, Paul instructs Titus to remind followers of Jesus they are to be changed in their unsaved actions as well.
“We lived in malice and envy.”
Malice is vicious intention, or a desire of one person to hurt another, or put them down. Malice is often irrational, usually based on the false belief against others they are unworthy. It is contrary to love. Envy is the attitude toward others of constantly comparing and recently what others have or can do. Or never satisfied with what God is doing in you life, you must compare your life with others. A great verse that has often spoken to my heart is in James. 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." It is usually a selfishness that compares and contrasts in an unfavorable attitude of self or others. It is at attitude that defined the people.
Now they have been freed from those attitude bondage.
In addition to those actions they were "disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures." That dealt with knowing God's will and choosing to do what we want anyway.
It is like one man I talked with many years ago who was arguing with me about what the Bible said concerning a sin in his life. He gave me this line that said you can make the Bible say anything you want it to say, that's why we have so many differing denominations and preachers around. If everyone interpreted it all the same way we'd only have one church.
I asked him to explain to me how else he could interpret this passage that God gave us regarding this man's sin.
Finally in excusing our conversation he made two of the most foolish statements I have heard from someone claiming to be a Christian. "How can it be wrong when it feels so right." and secondly, "I don't care what the Bible says, I have made my choice." From that time I learned a tremendous lesson. It is the deceitfulness of one's heart. He is blinded to the truth and decidedly remains. It is the spirit of disobedience that kept him from seeing the spiritual consequences of His decisions. What became so plain to me from God was a matter of personal opinion interpretation and decision and he went his own way.
Then I think, that is how we all were, justifying our actions and rationalizing our ways. But God is still God. Then I think about how God is changing us even after we are believers. People who are brought up in a Christianized community with many opportunities to read the Bible and other books, Christian magazines, radio and television and still doesn't bother to find out what God says this person is living in rank disobedience to what God says.
Paul says to remind the people and go on reminding the people of what they used to be like. They used to live in such a ways that the relationship was totally away from what it ought to have been. Their relationship to God was characterized by disobedience to His truth and it was darkening of their understanding.
People think that pleasure is great and they are all in favor of indulging in their own passions. And our present society says get as much pleasure as you can. But what they fail to tell us is, You live a life indulging in your passions you'll end up enslaved by your own passions and your own pleasures.
So many are plagued with additions of alcohol, drugs, gambling, and pornography because of simple pleasures that soon take over their lives to not being able to control their lusts for more.
Some of us can look back to times when our greed was all that matters. More greedy we were the more enslaved we became by greed. Some look back and see sexual freedom is not freedom at all. It ends up enslaved to passions and consumed by desire to satisfy ourselves.
For those outside of Christ those unsaved actions are more common. But for the believer God still has a work to do in our lives to flee sin and embrace the love of Christ and fellowship of believers who encourage one another in good works.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Nov 4 Relating to Others
Changed Relationships
Anger and hatred are part of the old nature from which we have been forgiven and also delivered. Malice and envy are part of the make up of a sinful heart. Jealousy and bitterness become ways people hold relationships outside their circle of love. Brothers and sisters in Christ have not only a higher standard of relating to one another but the Holy Spirit that allows forgiveness and reconciliation to occur.
The person who is only interested in his own passion and pleasures doesn't make very good husband. The person who is only interested in making sure that she is always happy and looked after doesn't make a very good wife or mother. Such people are self-absorbed.
Marriage is often centered on passion, and commitment is replaced by pleasure and having one's own needs met. The home is where our emotions are most commonly played out and that includes attitudes and actions against someone we have vowed to love, honor and respect.
The church also becomes a training ground for believers. Of course not all are believers in Jesus and love does not mean we do not hold people accountable for actions and words that hurt and cause division. These will happen. To pretend it doesn’t is not realistic. That is the reason such instructions and commands are put in the Bible for us to leave the past and work toward future allowing the Spirit to bring healing.
There are crimes that one commits against another. Those crimes are indeed not only wrong, but breaking the law and should be punished. Tough love holds people responsible for their actions. Malice, envy, anger and hatred can lead to abuse not only verbal but physical. I have never encouraged people to stay in unsafe environments. Help to control emotions is available and should be utilized for the sake of peace and glory to God. As much as it depends upon you, live in peace.
It is unrealistic to think everyone will get along. But how we handle our feelings can result in reconciliation, or retaliation or resentment that lingers. What would Jesus have you do?
The path to take is to treat others you way you want to be treated. The way of Jesus is to pray for one another and work for His glory. Ask God to change us as well as others that the testimony of believers be held to a higher standard that those of the world.
Pastor Dale
