WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.599 Father, I'll just pray. Thank you for bringing us together this evening, for allowing us to look at your word, to sing worship and praise to you, to acknowledge you as king in our lives and of the world. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:23.920 Lord, would you speak what you want through the text and the message tonight? 00:00:24.500 --> 00:00:31.300 Would you convict us where we need convicting, encourage us where we need encouraging and love us through it all? 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:35.000 We know you will. So we pray in Jesus name. Amen. 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:39.359 Amazing. Excited to do this. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:47.939 We're going to be looking at self-control and I'm going to say very little because I want the interactive bit to be here at the beginning. 00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:52.640 But we're going to start in the book of Titus. 00:00:53.539 --> 00:00:57.600 So if you want to flip there, 1198 in the church Bibles. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:03.920 Titus 2 will be there. We'll also look in Galatians and we'll also look in Romans. 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:09.239 So I don't know if Bible drill was a thing in the UK. 00:01:10.140 --> 00:01:12.459 You have to close it and get to it really fast. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:24.579 I was much too cool to be on the Bible drill team at church growing up, but there was a such thing as a Bible drill team and they went in like competitions and stuff. 00:01:24.659 --> 00:01:25.159 It was pretty wild. 00:01:25.420 --> 00:01:32.200 But anyway, basically the encouragement is to be able to flip quickly to the passages that we want to look at. 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:42.460 So self-control, again, before I say anything about it, I want to ask the question, what comes to mind? 00:01:42.520 --> 00:01:46.219 And this is the interactive bit, so please shout out as you have something there. 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:49.120 What comes to mind when I say self-control? 00:01:49.320 --> 00:01:53.200 When we think of self-control, what are the first things that you think of? 00:01:55.379 --> 00:01:56.219 Slow to anger? 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:57.140 Is that what you said? 00:01:57.140 --> 00:01:58.140 Yeah, yeah. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:03.280 No sugar. 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:04.980 Careful, yes. 00:02:05.219 --> 00:02:06.140 Saying no. 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:07.060 Saying no. 00:02:08.860 --> 00:02:09.099 Yes. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.319 Trying to control. 00:02:18.920 --> 00:02:19.439 Food. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.759 Interesting. 00:02:21.259 --> 00:02:26.800 In our culture and society that self-control is connected to food a lot of times. 00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:27.979 What else? 00:02:28.020 --> 00:02:30.479 Anything else that just jumps immediately to mind? 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:33.300 Speaking, yeah. 00:02:33.379 --> 00:02:33.979 Holding your tongue. 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:35.639 Self-controlling of that. 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:42.300 Social media. 00:02:42.500 --> 00:02:44.300 That's another one that can be big. 00:02:44.300 --> 00:02:48.100 What about in relation? 00:02:48.420 --> 00:02:55.200 So this is a study in Christian character, maybe largely kind of the fruits of the spirit 00:02:55.200 --> 00:02:56.160 and things like that. 00:02:56.340 --> 00:03:04.220 As it relates to the others in that list that you're immediately thinking of, how do you think 00:03:04.220 --> 00:03:04.820 of self-control? 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:11.939 Does it seem outside of the list or it's the last one in some lists? 00:03:11.939 --> 00:03:16.079 I'll tell you what I was thinking. 00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:16.759 It's kind of lost. 00:03:17.259 --> 00:03:17.639 Yeah. 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:26.079 So Steve got to talk on love and joy and some other fun ones are coming. 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:28.020 And I looked at my list. 00:03:28.599 --> 00:03:30.039 I've got self-control. 00:03:30.219 --> 00:03:31.780 And then later I think I have patience. 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:35.639 So I don't know if Steve's trying to tell me something or what. 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:49.000 But to me, it feels almost, if we're encouraged to be loving and gracious and gentle and good 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:54.459 and kind, and then there's self-control, which almost feels like, and then don't do any of 00:03:54.459 --> 00:03:55.979 the bad stuff, right? 00:03:56.019 --> 00:03:57.899 It almost feels different than the others. 00:03:57.900 --> 00:04:08.420 And so my discouragement in being in this one, notwithstanding, what I hope for and what 00:04:08.420 --> 00:04:12.939 I think has been on my heart as I've thought about this is that we actually don't look at 00:04:12.939 --> 00:04:14.460 self-control in that light. 00:04:14.659 --> 00:04:18.959 Even if that's our natural bent to be like, oh, self-control, it means limiting myself. 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:20.680 It means holding, doing something else. 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:25.959 That it's actually as beautiful a fruit of the Spirit as love or joy or any of those others. 00:04:26.540 --> 00:04:33.560 That while compared to those things that feel like we want to grow and add, that it's actually 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:36.400 a growing and adding of Christlikeness. 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:47.340 And it would result in something that is a life and a character in yourself that you would 00:04:47.340 --> 00:04:50.000 certainly hope for and desire as a Christian. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:56.480 So I think it's something that, you know, if we think of the fruit of the Spirit, it's 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:57.100 a gift. 00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:02.060 Self-control is a gift to us more than something we must master. 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:07.699 And I think, you know, if you don't remember anything else that we say tonight, I would 00:05:07.699 --> 00:05:13.800 think something in that vein would be helpful to us to remember self-control as a gift from 00:05:13.800 --> 00:05:18.860 God, a fruit of the Spirit at work in our lives more than something we have to level up 00:05:18.860 --> 00:05:21.379 to live out this life. 00:05:21.480 --> 00:05:24.580 So in light of that, let's look at Titus chapter 2. 00:05:26.080 --> 00:05:27.560 Titus chapter 2. 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:28.819 Let me read it. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:30.100 It's the whole chapter. 00:05:30.379 --> 00:05:31.020 It's not very long. 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:32.020 So I'll read it with us. 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:34.339 It says, 00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:38.859 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 00:05:39.719 --> 00:05:45.979 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, 00:05:46.219 --> 00:05:47.479 in love, and in endurance. 00:05:48.739 --> 00:05:54.979 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or 00:05:54.979 --> 00:05:57.659 addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 00:05:57.660 --> 00:06:02.880 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled 00:06:02.880 --> 00:06:07.640 and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands so that 00:06:07.640 --> 00:06:09.740 no one will malign the Word of God. 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.180 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:17.960 In everything, set them as an example by doing what is good. 00:06:19.180 --> 00:06:23.400 In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:29.019 so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about 00:06:29.019 --> 00:06:29.319 us. 00:06:30.539 --> 00:06:35.719 Teach slaves or bond servants to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please 00:06:35.719 --> 00:06:40.259 them, not talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully 00:06:40.259 --> 00:06:44.939 trusted so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 00:06:46.219 --> 00:06:49.919 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:54.960 It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, 00:06:55.259 --> 00:07:00.660 upright, and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing 00:07:00.660 --> 00:07:07.319 of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:13.639 from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:14.000 is good. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.200 These, then, are the things you should teach. 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:20.579 Encourage and rebuke with all authority, and do not let anyone despise you. 00:07:23.039 --> 00:07:25.539 So, one more. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:29.839 Who needs self-control based in Titus? 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:33.539 Everyone, right? 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:34.919 I think we covered them all. 00:07:35.139 --> 00:07:37.579 Older men, younger men, older women, younger women. 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:43.659 We all need to control our self, right? 00:07:44.039 --> 00:07:51.979 There's something in us, the implicit command or the thing that is implied there is that 00:07:51.979 --> 00:07:58.759 there's something about us that needs to be put under control, that something is out of 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:02.680 control such that it needs to be controlled, right? 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:06.740 And so, you start thinking about what that might be. 00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:12.819 I mean, there was a few listed in there, but, you know, what is it in humanity, in people, 00:08:13.720 --> 00:08:19.579 in us, in me, that needs to be put under control, right? 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:29.720 This morning, 2 Timothy chapter 3 gave us a list of things that would describe someone that is out of control. 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:32.620 He said this morning, 00:08:32.820 --> 00:08:34.500 There will be terrible times in the last days. 00:08:34.620 --> 00:08:42.620 People will be lovers of themselves, self-absorbed, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:49.200 disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, 00:08:50.139 --> 00:08:56.740 brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 00:08:56.860 --> 00:08:57.379 Right? 00:08:57.460 --> 00:08:59.660 Having that form of godliness, but denying its power. 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:11.180 So, there's this idea that all of these attitudes and activities are somehow someone that's gone out of control. 00:09:11.460 --> 00:09:12.940 They've left that. 00:09:14.060 --> 00:09:22.379 Galatians 5, before it gives the list of the fruits of the Spirit, he talks about the acts of the flesh. 00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:24.080 You can flip over there if you want. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.180 We'll go back if you want to put a finger in it. 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:29.240 I don't have the page reference for that one. 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:35.500 1-1-7-2 for that. 00:09:35.779 --> 00:09:35.960 So, yeah. 00:09:36.660 --> 00:09:38.040 So, I'll read from 19. 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:41.000 The acts of the flesh are obvious. 00:09:41.540 --> 00:09:47.980 Sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, 00:09:47.980 --> 00:09:53.980 selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 00:09:53.980 --> 00:10:02.940 There's a lot of big things in there that would fairly easily be described as being out of control. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:03.840 Right? 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:10.800 But it's, we know, and if we're honest with ourselves, we know, that it's not just the big and forbidden things that are listed in these. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:13.139 It's all the things. 00:10:13.259 --> 00:10:13.379 Right? 00:10:13.379 --> 00:10:22.359 We have a propensity to overindulge in God's gifts just as much as we want to indulge ourselves in the things that he has forbidden. 00:10:23.319 --> 00:10:23.620 Right? 00:10:23.620 --> 00:10:34.480 We listed earlier things like eating an extra biscuit, staying up a little later than we know we should, sleeping a little later than we know we should. 00:10:34.580 --> 00:10:34.659 Right? 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:41.340 There's all of these things that are, we're letting ourself be out of control. 00:10:41.340 --> 00:10:53.060 C.S. Lewis in the Screwtape Letters, if you've read that one, one of the, when, I think it's Wormwood is talking to one of the nephews, he refers to this. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:11:06.200 He says, all we can do, we being the demons in the story, is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our enemy, that is God, has produced. 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:17.700 So take the pleasures that God has produced and help encourage the humans to take them at times or in ways or in degrees at which he is forbidden. 00:11:18.340 --> 00:11:18.480 Right? 00:11:18.560 --> 00:11:31.980 So the demon's greatest success is getting us to look at the things that God has given, but to take them at times when we shouldn't, with whom we shouldn't, or in an amount that we shouldn't. 00:11:31.980 --> 00:11:32.500 Right? 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:39.920 So a good gift becomes a negative gift when we abuse it, when we indulge in it, when we overindulge in it. 00:11:40.259 --> 00:11:40.399 Right? 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:45.220 And so what we see is that's a lack of self-control. 00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:45.600 Right? 00:11:45.740 --> 00:11:49.600 Self-control is truly at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. 00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:50.700 Right? 00:11:50.800 --> 00:11:55.620 It's inherent in following Christ and not following me. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:57.259 Right? 00:11:57.340 --> 00:12:01.080 We are called to control our self. 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:05.820 And I think that's helpful in terms of framing it. 00:12:05.900 --> 00:12:17.320 Titus, in that chapter 2 verse, he says in verse 12, it teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. 00:12:18.460 --> 00:12:18.580 Right? 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:22.860 So what do we actually mean when we say self-control? 00:12:23.060 --> 00:12:27.900 You know, the verses and the words that are translated into self-control here. 00:12:28.040 --> 00:12:30.360 What does that actually mean? 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:43.060 Because when I think of self-control, initially it conjures things that the control piece, I think, trumps in my mind initially. 00:12:43.059 --> 00:12:46.459 And what I think of is autonomy. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:47.039 Right? 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:50.939 To be in control on my own, by myself. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:51.819 Right? 00:12:51.899 --> 00:12:56.379 And I think in the Bible, that's not really what it's talking about. 00:12:58.299 --> 00:13:02.119 Because our self is in control. 00:13:02.219 --> 00:13:03.379 That is our natural state. 00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:07.179 We're running to do whatever pleases us at any given time. 00:13:07.459 --> 00:13:07.719 Right? 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:10.879 The self is already in control. 00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:16.779 So it's not that we're being encouraged in the Bible to let that happen. 00:13:17.100 --> 00:13:17.200 Right? 00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:19.600 So that must not be what it is. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:22.259 Because our self is already in control. 00:13:23.040 --> 00:13:27.040 Rather, it is to control our self. 00:13:27.139 --> 00:13:30.200 Or to allow our self to be controlled. 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:34.800 And that's by something different than what it would naturally be. 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:35.100 Right? 00:13:35.580 --> 00:13:38.360 My self, when I wake up in the morning, is in control. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.020 And it tells me, like, I don't want to wake up. 00:13:41.220 --> 00:13:44.980 I don't want to, you know, do those things that, you know, I don't really want to take the dog out today. 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:45.720 Right? 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:46.920 That's my self talking. 00:13:47.680 --> 00:13:54.300 But wisdom and maturity says put self into its place. 00:13:54.299 --> 00:13:57.679 And do the thing that's required of you so that you can go on and do life. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:57.879 Right? 00:13:58.500 --> 00:14:09.879 So naturally, just in the course of living, we have to exercise a level of control over ourself such that we can be, you know, useful members of society. 00:14:10.299 --> 00:14:11.299 Go to work. 00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:12.459 Maintain jobs. 00:14:12.839 --> 00:14:13.819 You know, be respectful. 00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:16.919 And people, you know, trust us and do all these things. 00:14:16.979 --> 00:14:17.099 Right? 00:14:17.099 --> 00:14:23.019 We have to put our desires that are inherent in us into some level of control. 00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:23.240 Right? 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:27.159 And so this is what we're after. 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:30.480 Derek Prime, if you know that name, he's a Scottish pastor. 00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:37.279 He said, self is one of the toughest weeds that grows in the garden of our lives. 00:14:37.899 --> 00:14:38.180 Right? 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:42.740 It's this thing that is tough to root out. 00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:44.840 And it's us. 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:45.100 Right? 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:45.139 Right? 00:14:45.139 --> 00:14:53.159 The sinfulness. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:55.100 Just to cut to the chase. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:15:02.000 Sinfulness is not, we're not tempted by something and then submit to it. 00:15:02.439 --> 00:15:02.600 No. 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:06.620 So the problem in our lives is not that we sin. 00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:07.759 It's that we want to. 00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:08.620 Right? 00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:09.759 It's in us already. 00:15:09.920 --> 00:15:10.040 Right? 00:15:10.680 --> 00:15:13.379 You know, imagine a bank robbery. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:14.740 Right? 00:15:14.800 --> 00:15:19.940 The guys on the outside, they have a man on the end that opens the door to let them in to steal. 00:15:20.180 --> 00:15:20.399 Right? 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:21.600 It's an inside job. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:22.059 Right? 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.579 All of sin is an inside job. 00:15:24.319 --> 00:15:27.519 It starts inside of us and we let it in. 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:28.299 Right? 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:30.740 And so this is what must be controlled. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:31.019 Right? 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:33.220 It's a call to godliness. 00:15:33.899 --> 00:15:41.439 If we look back at that Galatians passage in verse 22, he starts, he moves and he says, 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:43.179 don't be like this. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:43.460 Right? 00:15:43.579 --> 00:15:45.399 The list that we read earlier. 00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:51.079 He says, but no, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, 00:15:51.079 --> 00:15:54.319 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:58.139 Against these things, there is no law. 00:15:58.139 --> 00:16:03.460 Those who belong to Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:04.779 Right? 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:11.139 We see scripture encouraging us toward self-control. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:11.399 Right? 00:16:11.539 --> 00:16:23.500 In fact, this was a difficult topic to study for because there's so much that references the idea of self-control. 00:16:23.500 --> 00:16:28.120 I mean, every epistle is talking about self-control in some capacity. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:38.879 It's just everywhere because, as I said earlier, it's just core to being a Christian is to deny oneself and go a different direction. 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:39.179 Right? 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:40.460 So this is what it is. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:48.939 So the reality here is that we must find this thing. 00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:52.240 The problem is it's incredibly hard. 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:52.720 Right? 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:54.040 We all recognize this. 00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:55.940 We know it in our lives to be the truth. 00:16:56.580 --> 00:17:01.639 Paul himself says in Romans, he admits, he says, I am a slave to sin. 00:17:01.940 --> 00:17:03.519 I don't understand what I do. 00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:06.759 What I want to do, I don't do. 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:09.099 But what I hate, I do. 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:19.259 And so you look at this and what is going on in Paul, you know, Apostle Paul. 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:23.900 If he's struggling with it, certainly I'm struggling with it. 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:29.039 And the reality is there's a war going on inside of us at all times. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:38.259 The desire that we have, and as Christians, if we have placed our faith in Christ, we've repented of our sin, 00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:44.639 and we have now decided to go in a different direction to follow Jesus and not follow the ways of the world. 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:50.220 We have now created a scenario in us that is at war at all times. 00:17:50.220 --> 00:17:50.460 Right? 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:55.980 The Westminster Confession puts it really well. 00:17:56.220 --> 00:18:03.339 Chapter 13, section 2, not that I expect you to go look it up, but it talks about this in sanctification. 00:18:03.620 --> 00:18:10.220 It's, you know, the growing in Christlikeness that happens to us that we hopefully do. 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:11.180 It says, 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:17.840 This sanctification is throughout in the whole man, a yet imperfect in this life. 00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:28.019 There abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, and arises a continual and irreconcilable war, 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:32.680 the flesh warring against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. 00:18:33.120 --> 00:18:33.240 Right? 00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:39.340 And this is what we see in Paul's words of, I don't do what I want to do, and yet I do the thing that I hate. 00:18:39.840 --> 00:18:39.980 Right? 00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:41.380 This is what's at war here. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:50.420 So you have this war inside of us, and the Bible says we must have self-control. 00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:52.220 We must control the self. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:52.799 Right? 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.079 It's in there. 00:18:54.620 --> 00:19:00.000 And so the danger in it, I think, is that it's hard. 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:05.440 And so the danger is that we fall off on one of two failures. 00:19:05.860 --> 00:19:06.079 Right? 00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:08.620 We either fall off to lawlessness. 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:09.779 Right? 00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:16.859 We give up, and we just do whatever we want, whatever pleases us, because it's too hard to resist. 00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:17.339 Right? 00:19:17.399 --> 00:19:21.399 We've seen and we know people that land in that category. 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:33.220 But the other side is just as dangerous, and that's legalism or even asceticism, where we make following the rules the most important thing, and we've turned that into an idol. 00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:34.380 Right? 00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:47.520 And so we've got this challenge that we have to battle with. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:52.139 And controlling what wants to bubble up in us is important. 00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:55.079 And yet we find it difficult. 00:19:55.079 --> 00:20:02.579 And what we find, even in the verses in Titus and elsewhere, is that we need a power outside of ourselves. 00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:03.579 We can't do it on our own. 00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:04.740 We can't do it on our own. 00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.359 Right? 00:20:05.419 --> 00:20:07.139 There's nothing in us that allows it. 00:20:07.199 --> 00:20:12.139 And so the power to control ourself is outside. 00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:20.480 So we, in the best case scenario, we might be able to trick ourselves into some semblance of self-control. 00:20:20.660 --> 00:20:20.800 Right? 00:20:20.800 --> 00:20:34.120 We might be able to will ourselves to say no to the bad things and to resist the temptation and be the most moral, good person that we can be. 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:36.159 And even if we could do that. 00:20:36.159 --> 00:20:36.439 Right? 00:20:36.479 --> 00:20:43.199 Even if we were able to live that out, you know, most of us couldn't make it a day. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:51.099 But even if we were able to, maybe I'll just say for myself, even if we were able to, the result would be that I would get the glory. 00:20:51.719 --> 00:20:52.159 Right? 00:20:52.739 --> 00:20:54.679 And that God would not. 00:20:54.680 --> 00:21:03.640 So even if I was the most moral human that's ever lived, the only one who benefits from that is me. 00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:05.740 And then I die and it's over and it doesn't matter. 00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:10.580 So the truth is, we want God to get the glory. 00:21:10.840 --> 00:21:18.860 And so looking at Titus again, to finish this thing, we've seen what, who all is encouraged to self-control. 00:21:18.860 --> 00:21:23.019 We've seen that we need some power. 00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:26.819 So at the end, it goes to that 13, verse 13. 00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:30.500 He says, where's the number 13? 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:31.980 It's blanking my eye. 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:34.299 So while we wait for this blessed hope, right? 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.359 So we're in this present age. 00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:37.579 We're in this kind of already not yet moment. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:44.000 While we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:50.799 who gave himself up for us to redeem us from the wickedness and to purify us for himself. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:51.160 Right? 00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:58.920 That his, Jesus was, who gave himself to redeem us from our wickedness. 00:21:59.060 --> 00:22:01.000 Jesus gave himself to purify us. 00:22:01.400 --> 00:22:04.779 So there's something in that, that Jesus is there. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:07.259 In that Galatians passage, it says, 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:12.960 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:15.920 The fruit of the Spirit. 00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:20.879 Not the work of the saint are these things. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:24.480 It's the fruit of the Spirit at work in the saint. 00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:28.619 And so self-control is a fruit. 00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:32.579 It's a gift of God given to those who believe. 00:22:33.159 --> 00:22:40.639 And so it's not incumbent upon us to level up in our ability to control our desires and ourself. 00:22:40.919 --> 00:22:47.399 It's God's gift to us to put under control the things that were in us and worked. 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:52.380 But there's so many passages that are like flooding to mind that if I said them all, we'd just be here all night. 00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:54.100 But let me say one more. 00:22:54.099 --> 00:23:00.639 So we had that Romans passage, right, where Paul in chapter 7 is saying, 00:23:01.059 --> 00:23:02.939 I don't do the things I want to do. 00:23:03.619 --> 00:23:05.539 The things that I hate, I find myself doing. 00:23:06.399 --> 00:23:10.259 And he's, you know, he's kind of at this moment where he's like, well, what now? 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:10.740 Right? 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:11.759 How do we do? 00:23:11.859 --> 00:23:13.339 And then it flips to chapter 8. 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:14.139 And he says, 00:23:14.139 --> 00:23:19.199 Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:28.140 Because Christ in Christ, through Christ, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:35.039 For what was the law, for what the law was powerless to do, because it was weakened by the flesh, 00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:41.360 God did by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be that sin offering. 00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:47.480 And so he condemned the sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met. 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:51.160 And us who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:52.740 Bear with me. 00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:58.059 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:04.200 But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:08.500 The mind is governed by the flesh is death. 00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:11.740 But the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 00:24:12.120 --> 00:24:12.360 Right? 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:18.500 If we are filled by the Spirit, then we will think of the things that the Spirit thinks. 00:24:18.699 --> 00:24:18.799 Right? 00:24:18.819 --> 00:24:21.379 We will do the things that the Spirit prompts. 00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.359 We will... 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:28.119 The Spirit will control the desires of our heart. 00:24:28.219 --> 00:24:28.339 Right? 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:36.759 The beginning of self-mastery, the beginning of self-control is being mastered by Christ. 00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:39.759 By proclaiming that he is our master. 00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:43.799 And that he is one that we follow. 00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:44.400 Right? 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:46.460 It seems so simple. 00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:47.819 And it is super simple. 00:24:48.099 --> 00:24:51.099 And yet the profoundness of it. 00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:56.359 That the only way that we can overcome what exists inside of us. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:00.779 Is by allowing us not to be a slave to those things anymore. 00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:05.759 But as the Bible says, to be a slave to him who saves us. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:05.940 Right? 00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:08.000 And so you've got this whole thing. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:11.279 Let me try to pull this together with an illustration. 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:11.619 Right? 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:14.819 In Greek mythology. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:18.660 I don't know if any of you are fans or interested in Greek mythology. 00:25:19.099 --> 00:25:28.119 But Christopher Nolan, famous director, is in the middle of production of putting together an Odyssey film of the Odyssey. 00:25:28.900 --> 00:25:31.579 And so it's going to be star-studded and whatever. 00:25:31.579 --> 00:25:40.559 But one of the scenes in the Odyssey features this character is called Sirens. 00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:40.939 Right? 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:43.720 And so they're half woman, half bird or something. 00:25:43.919 --> 00:25:46.759 And basically they sing these beautiful songs. 00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:50.379 And what the sailors, as they're sailing, they're on this island. 00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:52.460 And as the sailors are sailing, they hear this song. 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:54.960 And they're enticed to come this way. 00:25:54.960 --> 00:26:00.120 And so they end up steering the ships on rocks and then all perishing because they've done that. 00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:00.279 Right? 00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:05.200 So what you see in the Odyssey, Odysseus is the character. 00:26:05.340 --> 00:26:06.900 He knows this is coming. 00:26:07.019 --> 00:26:08.200 And so he fights against that. 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:11.680 He tells all the sailors to put wax in their ears so they can't hear. 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:19.559 And then has them tie him to the mast so that no matter what he says, they can't listen and follow the sirens. 00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:19.960 Right? 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:26.480 And so they're able to steer safely past the temptation of the sirens. 00:26:27.399 --> 00:26:32.759 Interestingly, there's another Greek story, the Argonautica. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.179 And this character in that is Orpheus. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:41.859 And instead of tying himself up on the mast and putting wax in his ears, this one, when they start to hear the song of the siren, 00:26:42.159 --> 00:26:48.200 he pulls out his lyre and he plays a song more beautiful than the song of the sirens. 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:54.840 And so the sailors are not tempted because they're encaptured by this beautiful song that's being played on the ship. 00:26:55.180 --> 00:27:00.460 So they don't have to, they're not enticed by the temptation of the sirens. 00:27:01.580 --> 00:27:03.519 And this is what we see, right? 00:27:03.580 --> 00:27:14.519 This is how the Spirit allows us to control our self and to put those things aside. 00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:17.519 Not because we are so powerful that we can resist. 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:32.940 And not because we have some sort of special ability to avoid temptation or that we've trained ourselves in such a capacity in the gym of life to put ourselves in this way. 00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:38.759 But know that we are more entranced by the beauty and the wonder of God's grace and goodness. 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:44.220 That we find that we have no time for the fleeting and temporary pleasures of the world. 00:27:44.860 --> 00:27:45.000 Right? 00:27:45.100 --> 00:27:50.059 The self-control is not trying to control. 00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:53.779 It's looking at Jesus and saying, this is what I want. 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:57.339 Now, the other things are not going to please me. 00:27:57.460 --> 00:27:59.139 They're not going to satisfy me. 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.639 But Jesus will. 00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:04.740 And so this I don't, I can resist because it's not any good. 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.579 Because Jesus is so much better. 00:28:07.579 --> 00:28:11.019 And self-control is not resisting something that you really do want. 00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:14.000 It's accepting something that you want even more. 00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:18.619 And so it's not control in the way that we think we have to do it. 00:28:18.619 --> 00:28:23.679 It's not putting shackles on ourselves and saying, no, I can't do that. 00:28:23.699 --> 00:28:25.919 It's saying, yes, God, you're amazing. 00:28:26.699 --> 00:28:28.059 You're so good to me. 00:28:28.139 --> 00:28:29.919 I don't want anything else. 00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:34.559 And so we're at this war with our flesh. 00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:38.459 But it's a war that we're assured victory. 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:41.719 Because Jesus has done everything that's needed. 00:28:42.619 --> 00:28:44.419 He's given it all. 00:28:44.699 --> 00:28:46.479 He's come to earth. 00:28:46.579 --> 00:28:47.439 He's taken our sin. 00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:51.100 He's taken the things that, those exact things that tempt us. 00:28:51.400 --> 00:28:52.600 And he's put it on himself. 00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:53.799 And he's put it all on the cross. 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:58.380 And the victor has given us his spirit from which to live with. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.779 To carry on. 00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:05.080 To look at him and the beauty and the amazingness of what he's done for us. 00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:07.940 The things that we sing about and praise God with. 00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:13.160 It should well up inside of us such that we only want that. 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:17.259 And the other things seem trivial in light of. 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.740 So there we go. 00:29:20.840 --> 00:29:21.620 Self-control. 00:29:22.040 --> 00:29:28.060 It's not quite what I initially thought when I started to do it. 00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:29.519 So let me pray. 00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:32.279 I think we've got one song to sing before we end. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:32.740 Let me pray. 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:40.319 Father, thank you. 00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.620 Thank you for loving us. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:54.079 For like the story of the prodigal, the father standing on the road looking for his son. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:58.759 And when he sees him coming on a long way off, he runs to him. 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:03.799 Lord, father, you ran to us and you sent Jesus for us. 00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:09.159 Even though we were ones who squandered our inheritance in the pigsty. 00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:15.059 The temptation of life and the things that look good. 00:30:15.679 --> 00:30:17.139 God, we've run after those things. 00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:24.300 We've taken you off the throne of our lives and put whatever it is on top. 00:30:25.560 --> 00:30:30.200 And God, in light of that, in spite of that, you came for us. 00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:34.480 And you put Jesus on the cross with those things on his back. 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:38.039 And he died. 00:30:38.440 --> 00:30:39.579 But then he rose in glory. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:45.579 And he comes back like he looks at Peter and restores us into relationship with him. 00:30:45.940 --> 00:30:47.420 Into relationship with you, Lord. 00:30:47.460 --> 00:30:50.299 We can be with you forever in eternity. 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:57.200 We can enjoy the true good pleasures and gifts that you give for all of time. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:06.240 And not be scammed into the thinking these other things are what we want. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.680 So, Lord, thank you for that. 00:31:08.819 --> 00:31:10.340 Lord, help us to see it. 00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:12.640 Help us to see you as more beautiful. 00:31:13.539 --> 00:31:15.160 More amazing. 00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:20.940 More worthwhile than any of the things that might pull us aside. 00:31:21.860 --> 00:31:25.519 And when those things tempt us, God, may we look to you. 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:36.720 May we look at you again afresh and anew and see your beautiful face and hear you calling out to us like that father on the road and like the father that you are. 00:31:37.379 --> 00:31:42.460 And may we turn back to you and follow you once again. 00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:45.839 Lord, give us your spirit. 00:31:46.299 --> 00:31:47.539 Give us what we need. 00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:50.379 Be with us as we go, we pray. 00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:51.240 In Jesus' name. 00:31:51.379 --> 00:31:51.619 Amen.