Remember... Demonstrate the Truth!

[0:00] I feel naked I don't have my guitar today so it's all Jane take your Bibles and turn to the book of Titus Titus chapter 3 if you're visiting with us there's a black Bible in the chair in front of you and you can go to that Bible go to the back find page 168 168 you'll find Titus chapter 3 Titus chapter 3 verses 1 through 7 and normally I do a a Christmas message the week of Christmas I normally do that and as I was contemplating what book to preach on before we go into the book of the gospel of John I mean what a perfect verse and verse 4 of chapter 3 his love for mankind appeared it's like well that's that's a Christmas message man

[1:11] I mean that's it in and of itself so I'm like well this is perfect that would be great we're thinking about the incarnation so so we're landing here in Titus chapter 3 verses 1 through 7 I'll read a little bit part first part of verse 8 as well let me read Titus chapter 3 starting in verse 1 remind them to be subject to rulers ruling authorities to be obedient to be ready for every good work to malign no one to be peaceable gentle showing all meekness for all people for we ourselves also were foolish disobedient deceived enslaved to various lusts and pleasures spending our life in malice and envy hateful hating one another but when the kindness and love for mankind of our God and Savior appeared not because of works which we've done in righteousness but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal through the Holy Spirit whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior in order that being justified by his grace we may be heirs according to hope of eternal life faithful is the word we are so prone to forget aren't we it gets almost comical and that we walk into a room and we have no idea why we came in there in the first place a comedian talked about how actually there's a trigger in your rear end to your head because once you sit down then you remember right so you go back to sit down oh that's right and triggers something in your head right you walk into the room and you say

[3:22] I have no idea why I came in here to do what I was going to do and you walk back out or so easy so prone to forget and we laugh and rightly so and yet the hard part is there are those who are dealing with dementia Alzheimer's who are end up forgetting everything and see this is why Israel had all those rituals that's why you you truck through all those rituals and exodus and Leviticus and numbers and you want to fall asleep but you're trying to read through the Bible maybe you might want to do that come next year in 2022 and read through the Bible everything's going great you hit Genesis the first part of Exodus and then it's all like right then Exodus and into Leviticus you're like oh my goodness why this is the reason why not because the rituals did anything to Israel or for Israel necessarily it was what those rituals particular rituals represented or rather what they were pointing to to what they were pointing it was to remind Israel about Yahweh and his promises his promises to them don't forget me that's the reason we celebrate Christmas not necessarily because it's our tradition or because you want presents

[4:59] I looked at my kids and I said that I'm just kidding but because it's meant to remind us of the incarnation of Christ right when the Lord Jesus broke into our world taking on flesh he broke in and so this is what Paul wanted to help the church in Crete writing this to Titus Titus I'm writing this to you to help them to remember to demonstrate the truth remember demonstrate the truth don't forget it's so easy for us to forget that's why he says in this part of Titus of Paul's letter to Titus in Titus chapter 3 don't forget remember demonstrate the truth remember what Titus is about

[6:05] Titus is about right living flows from right thinking orthopraxy flows from orthodoxy redemption leads to sanctification God saves us so that he may change us who belong to him and for us to demonstrate his grace to demonstrate the truth at work in our lives we're redeemed from lawless deeds so that we be zealous for good deeds and here what Paul does he wants to write this to Titus and how should Christians conduct themselves with the government and even more specifically with the unsaved and really for all people demonstrate the truth for them remembering what we were like before Christ when we were like that God showed kindness God showed love God showed mercy kind of a way to sum this up in one statement these first seven verses is like this

[7:13] God's kindness love and mercy toward us when we were God haters should motivate us to do good deeds to the unsaved and really to all people God's kindness to you his love to you his mercy towards you when you were a God hater that should motivate us to do good deeds to the unsaved and really to all people God graciously delivered us from the bondage of sin and has made us into a new transformed people we're transformed indwelt by the spirit he's declared us righteous he made us heirs of eternity with him all according to his mercy don't forget and I get that don't forget remember from the very first word of chapter 3 verse 1 remind it's a command remind them help them to not forget help them to remember remember don't forget remind them notice to act to act like this toward rulers have authority to act like what to be subject to them to be obedient to them which shows their attitude of submission to the government submit to the government obey the government obviously it doesn't mean we don't disagree with our government of course or even express that disagreement especially in our nation of course sure but as I've learned in so many ways graciously from my wife it's not so much what we say but how we say it in humility in grace remind them to have this attitude towards the government and then he has the rest of verse 1 and verse 2 it's immediately connected to the government but then kind of what Paul does he doesn't confine it just to the government he actually moved out from how

[9:35] Christians who respond not just to the government but really to the unsaved and really to all people he kind of moves out from that point because notice what he says the next part to be ready for every good work be prepared and willing to do whatever good work that needs to be done because our behavior should commend the truth and then he adds four additional aspects notice verse 2 to malign no one or literally to speak ill or speak evil of no one it's easy to say the worst about people right but he's saying restrain your mouth not to speak the worst about these unsaved people hurling curses and offenses don't be like that he says to malign no one and notice it says the new American standard to be uncontentious literally it's be peaceable not starting fights to be gentle showing grace yielding and then he has here showing every consideration for all men literally demonstrating all meekness demonstrating you know that kind of sounds familiar demonstrating all meekness humility forbearance for all people as difficult as this can be with very difficult people people can be difficult

[11:05] I know that's hard to believe especially when you see me how can he be so difficult I'm difficult ask my wife we're difficult people to get along with don't forget remember and then now he goes don't forget remember because then he gives three reasons first reason remember who you were have you forgotten what you were like verse 3 for we also once ourselves were what what what what motivates us to act this way with the government what motivates us to to act this way with all people what he just listed out in verse 1 and 2 what motivates us the conduct that Paul requires of Christians is undergirded by the truth of who we were before Christ before we came to saving faith in Jesus we remember who we were and then he'll bring up we remember who God is and then he'll bring up we'll remember what he's done for us but first remember remember when you were a jerk now my disclaimer

[12:37] I'm not saying all non-Christians are jerks I mean Mike Johnson is probably a jerk he admitted that to me amen remember when you were unsaved remember how God is kind loving and merciful remember how he saved us when we were jerks and yet because of God's transforming power we can now act this way you weren't pleasant God's pleasant God demonstrated mercy by saving and transforming you shouldn't this cause us to devote ourselves to doing what's good shouldn't we show mercy look at what he says we once were like this in your BC before Christ years days years whatever you demonstrated these seven features foolish no spiritual understanding you were dead to the truth disobedient to God you had a disregard for authority deceived you were led astray for enslaved to a manifold various desires desires and pleasures and cravings sex drugs rock and roll alcohol foul language foul mouth this is what you were like before Christ five spending your life he says in malice and envy so you're hating people being envious of what they had and wanting it for yourself six hating others oh you love them until they disagree with you seven hating others hating one another that's what we were like

[14:37] BC before Christ have you forgotten do you not remember and there's all different degrees of that BC time for some people it's different when you come to Christ when you're seven years old versus when you're in your 50s Mike came to Christ when he was in his 50s there's varying degrees but this is what we were like this should motivate us remember when you were like this have you forgotten and remember who God is have you forgotten that look at look at what he says the contrast in verse 3 in verse 4 but in contrast to our foolishness and your BC life God breaks in remember who

[15:40] God was or is towards you but when the kindness and love for mankind of God our savior kindness means his goodness his generosity and that word where it says here in the new American standard love for mankind is actually one Greek word love for men love for mankind love for humanity so God's kindness love and mercy toward us when we were God haters that should motivate us to do good works to the unsaved and really to all people the Old Testament Paul is banking on the Old Testament here and is replete with God's loving kindness his chesed his covenant love remember that have you forgotten that and

[16:44] Paul does he kind of puts these attributes together he says God's kindness and love to mankind he like puts them all together and notice notice how this contrasts with your former conduct notice how this is a contrast with who you were like before Christ God our savior broke in with his kindness broke in with his generosity God broke into your jerk world and notice he broke in the last part of verse four appeared and that means the incarnation of Christ which leads us to reason number three remember who you were remember who God is and remember what God has done for you have you forgotten first Jesus appeared for the grace of

[17:48] God chapter 2 verse 11 has appeared this is the incarnation have you forgotten what God has done how he's broken into our world he actually took on human flesh have you forgotten that appearing consisted of his work of salvation on the cross for a specific people whereby God truly demonstrated his kindness and love and that's why Paul will say he saved us Christ's death was an actual death to save sinners and the spirit brought it to pass in time so Christ's appearing was how he saved us his coming and his mission and then we actually experience that salvation in time when we repent and when we trust in Christ as Savior and Lord are you here and not a Christian have you not trusted Christ as your Savior and Lord you can be given forgiveness you can be given the kindness and mercy and love of God repent and trust

[18:53] Christ he'll save you come he'll save you he'll love you that's what he's done for us and notice he says appeared he saved us he saved you he demonstrated kindness goodness generosity he demonstrated his love by sending the eternal son to give his life to ransom sinners to redeem sinners to redeem you this is personal God had a personal agenda interesting how verse 5 it actually in the Greek it doesn't start with he saved us it actually starts with the negative not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness see God saved us not based on your works you did not contribute in any way to your salvation this is why God does not look down the quarters of time and see our faith and then based on that chooses us no we had nothing to do with it at all not deeds done in righteousness not your present good works not your before

[20:19] Christ efforts of good works no none of that friends when it comes to the unsaved listen don't wait for these people to show good works before you show them goodness and kindness don't wait they act this way because they haven't been changed like you you've been changed God's transformed you why do we act like them then if you are surprised about all the things happening in our world or the things happening in our country then you have forgotten this is how the unsaved the no loving Christ people act why do you think it shouldn't be this way because you've forgotten who you once were and you've forgotten mercy notice to emphasize it even more not not not on basis of these what he's done in righteousness but according to his mercy it's all based on God's mercy it's not based on good works it's not based on your foreseen faith it's not based on anything about you it's not about you it's not about me it never was about you it never was about me it's all about God and his mercy to putrid rotten nasty foolish people like you and like me well you think you deserve grace then it's not grace do you think they deserve grace they don't and neither did you this eliminates any kind of thought that we had anything to do with our salvation it's all according to his mercy

[22:42] God demonstrated his sovereign grace to you this is why it's good to remember Christmas not because this was the time Jesus was born he wasn't born in December are you crazy those shepherds would be freezing shepherds are there washing their flocks by night freezing drinking two pitchers of coffee no they're not going to do that but it's about the amazing truth that God took on flesh the God man to give his life it's his mercy you did nothing to claim his kindness goodness or love he had pity on your miserable condition saving you and changing you he delivered us from who we were verse 3 remember that we went from slavery to freedom and so he saved us he says and what's the means of the saving he saved us not these are rights and this we've done but according to his mercy the means by the washing he says by the washing spiritual cleansing or removal of sin which takes place by the act of the rebirth or regeneration by means of the

[24:10] Holy Spirit God does an inner cleansing work and an inner transforming work we are different now by the washing of regeneration the rebirth new beginning Dr.

[24:25] MacArthur in biblical doctrine he says this this is the quote divine impartation of eternal spiritual life into the spiritually dead sinner so the human will is not violated it's transformed it's changed so it's ultimately irresistible you remember when you were walking around you couldn't see anything you went to the eye doctor he says you needed glasses and you put glasses on you're like holy cow I can actually see everything you remember that that's what it's like you're walking around blind you're walking you can't you have no idea what's going on you think you do but you don't and you put those glasses on those Christian gospel glasses on and then you see for the first time whoa this all makes sense again Dr.

[25:23] MacArthur it is the sovereign act of God regeneration by the Holy Spirit and through the preached gospel whereby he instantaneously imparts spiritual life to a sinner bringing him out of spiritual death and into spiritual life and then the fruits of regeneration repentance and faith you're trusting Christ notice he says again the means by the washing of regeneration and renewal by means of the Holy Spirit you're made new these acts of washing regenerate and renewal done by the Holy Spirit it's the Holy Spirit who initiated that work in us that we would respond to God's mercy and love in faith and notice what he says about the Spirit look at verse 6 whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior God lavishly gave us each

[26:24] Christian the Holy Spirit this whole teaching that it is demonstrated the Spirit by speaking of tongues is totally preposterous and ridiculous and ridiculous that is not in the Bible the Spirit was given to every Christian and a changed life demonstrates that gift from the Father through Jesus that's what demonstrates a Spirit it was a Spirit who was lavished upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior who accomplished the work of transforming our lives changing us so the Father lavished us with the Spirit through the agency of the Lord Jesus it was the Spirit who accomplished that work of transforming our lives notice how each member of the Trinity was at work the Father the Son the Spirit in our salvation so we were saved we were washed we were regenerated we were renewed we're no longer what we once were

[27:33] BC before Christ have we forgotten friends of course non-Christians will act this way you did so did I why are you surprised notice the purpose he saved us in order that verse 7 in order that the purpose that being justified by his grace first notice the purpose of God's work of salvation he saved us was to give us a gracious position a gracious status and a gracious inheritance justified by his grace what's our gracious position we're declared righteous you're justified in God's sight all done by his grace you're quitted you're forgiven you're seen as righteous your position is righteous you are viewed as righteous when we place our trust in the

[28:43] Lord Jesus we are justified declared righteous being credited with the very righteousness of God and forgiven of all our sins that's our standing before God that's our position before God and notice he says in order that being justified by his grace we may be made heirs by his grace we're heirs there's our status we're no longer slaves we're no longer enslaved or an enemy of God we're one of his children and if you're an heir you're also going to inherit something you're going to inherit the universe so here is the gracious position God has given to you the gracious status God has given to you the gracious inheritance that God has given to you all his grace notice he ends this part in verse 7 according to hope of eternal life he's brought this up before this hope is not a wish but a factual confident expectation

[29:51] God will keep promise to bring us to himself and be given the promise inheritance as his heirs this is what God is going to do one writer says this quote God enters into history with his gracious attitude to act for us transforming us now and making us heirs for an eternity with him this is amazing this is dumbfounding dumbfounding amazing grace so here's the reasons that he saved us so that that's why Paul says notice verse 8 he says this is a trustworthy statement literally faithful is the word what word it's this doctrinal statement from verse 4 to verse 7 it's like a truth that had become a doctrinal statement among the churches he used this in 1st Timothy when we went through 1st Timothy you remember faithful is the word so it served as a way to familiar to be a familiar way to identify truth to people to the believers to the

[30:52] Christian church it's a fixed point of true doctrine so if this is true I mean think about it if this is true and it is should we not continue to be vastly different from our world should we not demonstrate the truth by the way we live should we not be merciful and gracious don't forget have you forgotten remember remind yourself allow yourself to be reminded of this come this time for Christmas and thinking about the incarnation remind yourself of this remember remember what God has done remember who God is remember who you were again

[31:56] God's kindness love and mercy toward us when we were God haters should motivate us to do good deeds to the unsaved and really to everybody would you pray with me our father it's easy for us to forget we do we get so busy with life and with just doing our thing and yet thank you that when we forget you still show your grace and mercy toward us don't you and you gently remind us by giving us mercy and grace when we don't remember your mercy and grace we thank you for that so help us by your spirit to remember how gracious and how kind and how generous how good you've been to us in and through your son and spirit keep transforming us to be a people who truly demonstrate you to each other and to this world that we're different now according to your mercy you saved us we're a changed people work that truth out in us because we love you and because we desire you and delight ourselves in you as we do each week

[34:17] I encourage you this time take this next minute or so to allow your mind to be filled with gospel truth remind yourself remind yourself of the promises remind yourself of grace remind yourself of mercy you know we'll sing we'll do our two songs and pray let this be a just a sweet time between you and the Lord to let your mind be filled with the truth of his promises would you please do that now to let and have a beautiful and

[35:27] I one one thing I want to melod that is lovely that I have my when it's sweet I used to you