Columbus Baptist Church's Podcast

09 II Timothy 3:1-5 - Trouble Makers Part 1

08 II Timothy 2:20-26 - For Honor

07 II Timothy 2:14-19 - Diligent, Approved, Unashamed, Accurate, Truth-Teachers

06 II Timothy 2:8-13 - Worthy of Suffering

05 II Timothy 2:1-7 - The Coming Storm

Title: Dare to be an Onesiphorus Text: II Timothy 1:15-18 FCF: We often struggle being aware of the danger of apostasy. Prop: Because it is not certain who will depart the faith, we must hold fast and keep the good thing entrusted to us. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to II Timothy chapter 1. As we close out this first chapter of II Timothy today, and knowing that the start of chapter 2 will be a passage requiring more time for us to expound, I think I’ll take the opportunity now to review what we’ve learned so far in II Timothy. For the book itself, we know that it is a few years separated from Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Much has happened in that time. First, Timothy has had some success in forming the church there in Ephesus around the gospel of Christ. He is not failing what is mentor asked of him only a few years prior. However, what we do know is that hostility and opposition to the gospel is growing in the area. How do we know that? Well Paul has been arrested once again. This time is different though, and Paul knows it. What is so different? Well, Paul is not going to be released. Whether by intuition or by revelation from God, Paul knows that he will not make it through this imprisonment. He will be executed soon. And so, Paul’s primary reason for writing this more personal letter to Timothy is to encourage him to take up Paul’s mantle and carry on in the ministry. Paul’s concern for Timothy is that he not give in to timidity or fear but that he would fully rely on the power of the Spirit of God which is in Him, to continue to boldly proclaim the gospel, and to hold fast and persevere through persecution. Paul encourages Timothy, and believes Timothy can do this, first because he has been convinced that Timothy’s faith is genuine. And if his faith is genuine, Paul knows that the Spirit of God is with Timothy to accomplish all that God would ask of him. Paul knows this to be true, because Christ and the Spirit have kept and protected him in his ministry. So Paul lifts up the glorious gospel of God’s saving power and grace, gifted in Christ, before time began. It is for this gospel that Paul now suffers, and it is for this gospel that Paul is preparing Timothy and the church there to continue to cling to and suffer for. We left the text last week with Paul imploring Timothy with that common tension in the scriptures. A command given with the expectation that God will see it done. Paul keeps the gospel with which he has been entrusted by the faith and love that are in Christ. And he calls Timothy to keep that same gospel in the power of the Spirit of God. And so, shines brightly, the common conundrum. Humans are called to do something for the Lord, but are unable to do it without first being what God has made them to be. With God all things are possible… but with man it is impossible. And so now Paul concludes his thoughts on holding fast and protecting the gospel with examples. 1 verse of many bad examples, and 3 verses of 1 good example. If you look closely, you will also note the primary theme of the Pastorals flowing through this text. Doctrine received in true faith produces people conformed to Christ. We’ll see people here, who although not denying or affirming a confession, do deny or affirm the doctrines by whether they are or are not conformed to Christ. It should be a powerful and interesting albeit short message for us today. I am in II Timothy chapter 1 starting in verse 15. I am reading from the NET which you can follow on page 1342, or in whatever version you have. Transition: Let’s dive in this morning to see these examples of those who hold fast, and those who do not. I.) There are many who look like Christians who will depart, so we must hold fast and keep the good thing entrusted to us. (15) a. [Slide 2] 15 – You know that everyone in the province of Asia deserted me i. “Province of” is added for clarity in the text. The NET does not wish us to think the whole of Asia is in view. ii. We saw this when we looked at Tychicus who was from the province of Asia. iii. This refers to the southwestern part of Asia minor, probably around the Aegean coastlines. iv. Now when Paul says that everyone in the province had deserted him, does everyone mean everyone? v. This seems extreme. vi. Furthermore, Timothy and Onesiphorus (On-uh-siph-or-us) whom Paul names in this text, have not deserted him, and they are certainly from Asia or in Asia at this time. Therefore, we must put a limit on what Paul means by everyone. We see two options. vii. Either that Paul is saying that those in Rome from Asia have deserted him, or more likely Paul uses hyperbole to emphasize that many had deserted him from the province of Asia. viii. Finally, what does it mean that he was deserted? Are we talking about apostasy or just that they are ashamed of Paul’s imprisonment? 1. In favor of this being a personal abandonment we have a few points. a. Paul calls out several people in this book for departing the faith. b. In each case, Paul speaks clearly about their defection from the gospel itself. c. Here Paul makes it clear it is a defection from him. d. Furthermore, the two men he mentions are not included later for having apostatized. 2. In favor of this being both personal abandonment and apostasy, we have a few points. a. Paul has already linked his imprisonment with the gospel of Christ in verse 8. b. Paul has historically had issues with people rejecting his apostleship and therefore his teaching. And if we remember from I Timothy – this was probably the case in Ephesus. c. The preceding and following context of this seems to indicate that what Paul is offering to Timothy are two examples of what not to do and what to do. And in the preceding verses it is clear that Timothy must hold fast to the gospel. d. And in keeping with the overall scope of the pastoral epistles in general – we know that to cite unchristlike lifestyles would be the same as citing apostasy to a certain extent. Not all denials of the faith are by our words or affiliations. Some of them are from our lifestyles. ix. All this considered, I think given the context, it seems best to understand that Paul means that these people have deserted him and by extension, his gospel. b. [Slide 3] Including Phygelus (Fih-Jel-us) and Hermogenes (her-mah-joe-knees). i. What is clear in this text is that when Paul singles out these two men as those who have abandoned him and the gospel, it should be shocking to hear. ii. What is not clear in this text is anything else about these men. iii. This is the only mention of their names in the New Testament. iv. So all we can do is draw upon this text, and here is what we know… v. These men appeared to be loyal to Paul and the gospel – but when the going got tough, they deserted Paul and his gospel. c. [Slide 4] Passage Truth: Int his first verse, Paul teaches Timothy with examples. He shows two men who were loyal to Paul before, along with many others in the province of Asia. And what is clear is that no one saw their desertion coming. And yet, here they are. They have used this opportunity to desert Paul and even his teachings for another gospel. d. Passage Application: So Timothy’s imperative from the previous section endures. He must hold fast and keep the truth of the gospel with which he has been entrusted. e. [Slide 5] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out to the rest of scripture, unfortunately we see countless examples of those who were thought to be loyal to God and His servants, turn and go after other gods. Before Christ was revealed many Israelites abandoned Yahweh in favor of Baal, Ashteroth, and other would-be gods. And even after the cross, we see people know the truth and walk away. I’d like to say that this doesn’t happen anymore – but alas, it happens often. Either by their words or actions, many high-profile Christian leaders have rejected the gospel of Christ, either replacing it with Christ plus something, or rejecting Christ altogether. I say all this, not to worry you, but to help you to realize that apostasy is not something that is uncommon. f. Broader Biblical Application: What does that mean for us at CBC? Every single person Paul has mentioned and will mention has made a profession of faith, has served in the church, and were considered part of the covenant community. Yet when Paul was thrown into prison for his teachings – they abandoned him and his teachings. It is not enough for us to confess what we believe one time and rest in that confession. The Lord Himself tells us that those who deny Him before men, He will deny before the Father. True, genuine, saving faith, is one that endures. And while that doesn’t mean perfection or even that we will never doubt, it does mean that God’s true people will not permenantly walk away from the faith – no matter how hard they are pressed. Therefore, my friends, we MUST hold fast and protect the truth of the gospel that we have been entrusted. Do not listen to men who talk about the bible – listen to the bible. Even me. Don’t take what I say without pause. But search the scriptures. Not what someone says about the scriptures, but the scriptures themselves. Then consult what the church has taught down through the ages. If what you believe has been taught as orthodoxy, and has been widely accepted, then you must hold fast to its teachings! There are teachings that are widely accepted in Christendom today that have no history in the church before the 1600s and some even more recent. Meaning that just because you have always been taught it, doesn’t mean it has always been taught. How could this have happened? People neglected to hold fast to what they were taught and instead invented novel doctrines to assuage their itching ears. And they passed those novel doctrines to more and more people. And it spread like gangrene. But we must hold fast to the truth that we have received from the apostles. And as Paul said earlier, we can only do this through the indwelling of the Spirit and love and faith found in Christ. Transition: [Slide 6 (blank)] We have seen Phygelus’ and Hermogenes’ negative example of those who did not endure in belief and good works. But is there a positive example that we can look to? Certainly Paul, but is there no one else who is enduring? II.) There are some who will continue to endure in faith and good works, so we must hold fast and keep the good thing entrusted to us. (16-18) a. [Slide 7] 16 – May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus (on-uh-siph-or-us), i. So the first question is, obviously, who is Onesiphorus? ii. And, again we have to say – we don’t know. iii. Here is what we do know. Later in the letter – like at the end – Paul tells Timothy to greet the family of Onesiphorus. So, we know that Onesiphorus is from Ephesus. iv. Here Paul asks the Lord for mercy to Onesiphorus’ family. Why? b. [Slide 8] Because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. i. Because we know absolutely nothing about this man it is difficult to understand what Paul means here. ii. But as Paul continues it becomes clear. c. [Slide 9] 17 – But when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me i. Paul asks for mercy on the family of Onesiphorus because he was not ashamed of Paul being imprisoned for the sake of Christ. ii. Not only was he not ashamed, he came to Rome, sought out Paul and ministered to his needs there with Luke. iii. This is the first indication that Paul’s imprisonment was not like his previous house arrests. Since he was difficult to find in Rome, it seems that he was probably in a cell somewhere obscure. iv. But Oneshiphorus sought him to the extent that he would find him. v. For all of this Christ-like love, Paul desires that all his family would be blessed by God while he is away serving Paul. vi. But the temporal needs of his family is not Paul’s only wish for Onesiphorus… d. [Slide 10] 18 – May the lord grant him to find mercy from the lord on that day! i. A couple things here. 1. Mercy here most assuredly refers to God’s chief mercy in salvation. However, this poses a problem for us. a. After all the glowing words about this man, why would Paul put this in wish or prayer language? Shouldn’t he be surer about the nature of Onesiphorus’ faith? b. Consider the context. He is sure and has been persuaded about Timothy’s faith. But there are many others who he thought were legitimate and have since walked away. c. It is not wrong, and perhaps intensely biblical for us to always hopefully pray for the endurance of someone’s faith. This sounds like a slight and maybe even doubting Eternal security… but in reality, we must understand that true believers endure to the end. And there are many who do not endure to the end. d. So Paul’s prayer, really, is that Onesiphorus is a true believer. Which should be our prayer for one another. 2. Secondly, it is good to take note that in order for Onesiphorus to find mercy on the day of judgement, the same Lord who will be his judge must grant that ability to him to find it. I don’t want to delve too deep into that because that isn’t Paul’s point here – but it is worthy to note the phrasing there. That to find mercy from God, God must grant us to find it. Our searching will do us no good until God allows us to find it. e. [Slide 11] And you know very well all the ways he served me in Ephesus. i. Finally, Paul as an aside to Timothy stresses again the history of this man with reference to serving Paul. ii. While Paul was in Ephesus or Rome – Onesiphorus was there to help him. iii. This is what true children of God do. f. [Slide 12] Passage Truth: So Paul gives Timothy a second example. This time he gives a positive example of who to emulate. Just as abandoning Paul meant abandoning the gospel, so caring for Paul means caring for the gospel. Further we are reminded of the overall teachings of all the Pastoral epistles. That doctrine, received in true faith, produces people conformed to Christ. What Paul is saying is that Onesiphorus is conformed to Christ – therefore, he seems to have received doctrine by true faith. g. Passage Application: And so, before, Timothy was encouraged to take up Paul’s mantle and follow his example. Now he is encouraged to follow the example of Onesiphorus as well. A true servant of Christ and is holding fast to it. Timothy must hold fast to His confession and keep the gospel pure both in belief and action. h. [Slide 13] Broader Biblical Truth: As we saw in I John, as Eric, CJ, and Jerry preached as I was away, and as the whole of scripture affirms – the only way to have assurance of our faith being real and genuine is to observe the fruit of that faith. When Christ uses parables to speak of crops bearing fruit and a harvest that is coming where the wheat and tares are separated – the harvest is the final judgment. A man’s life will be measured by all that God does through Him. He must finish the race. He must fight the good fight. He cannot produce fruit for a time and then be barren at harvest time. Such fruit would be useless to the famers to which Christ told the parable. Rather, the only crop that is useful, is one that bears fruit until harvest. Certainly, whoever is God’s true child can never lose that status. God knows who are his. But, how do we know we are His? It is only by our love, faith, power, self-control, and general outpouring of the Spirit’s power in us. i. Broader Biblical Application: So at CBC, we must understand that holding fast to our confession is certainly to continue to believe the right things, but it is not this in exclusion. But it is also continuing to bear the fruit from a heart invaded by the Spirit of God. There have been many pastors, preachers, evangelists, and apologists through the ages and recently who have believed all the “right” things. But lived lives of unrepentant sin. They will be numbered among those who cry out “Lord, Lord – have I not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons and done many miraculous works.” And He will say to them “Depart from me, lawbreaker, for I never knew you.” My friends, we must hold fast to our confession, we must keep the good thing entrusted to us, not just by continuing to believe, but also by continuing to obey. Conclusion: So what does this mean for us here at CBC? Well let me give you a little “state of orthodoxy” update. [Slide 14] 3/2018 – Christian band underoath – openly walked away from Christianity 5/2019 – Christian of 40 years, Pastor of 20 years - Dave Gass – Left his wife and denied Christ 7/2019 – Well-known Christian author – Joshua Harris- separated from his wife, apologized to the LGBTQA+ community, denied Christ 8/2019 – Hillsong Worship Leader - Marty Sampson- Denied Christ 2/2020 – Social media personalities - Rhett and Link or The Bently Brothers – Denied Christ 5/2020 – Singer in the band Hawk Nelson – Jon Steingard – Denied Christ 2/2021 – Christian Apologist for more than 40 years – Ravi Zacharias – Had deep sexual appetites and addictions that he failed to repent of and succeeded to hide until his dying breath. 4/2021 – Contributor to Desiring God Ministries – Paul Maxwell – Has denied Christ. These folks are either the same as Phygelus and Hermogenes or the opposite of Onesiphorus. Some of them have been in ministry longer than I have been alive. And yet by their confession and their lifestyles, they have proved their faith to still be a dead faith. All these details about our world today are both shocking and discouraging. Not just for the body of Christ and the testimony of Christ in the world, but also because we look inward and wonder – if they fell, how can I not? If it were possible for someone to work in ministry for decades, and still fall away, how can I hope to be saved? [Slide 15 end) Read the words of Paul. I know whom I have set my faith and he is able to protect what has been entrusted to me. So keep the good thing entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. My friends, if it was only you, you could not hope to hold fast to the confession and protect the gospel. But if the Lord is with you, if He is in you, if you are in Him – then my friends there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. He is able to keep us from falling! Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. You say, but everyone thought that these people had that same Spirit in them. They even thought they had that Spirit in them. How can I be sure that He is in me? Hold fast! Endure! Bear Fruit! Obey the Lord. Work out your own salvation. Not in your own strength. Not in your own effort. Not in your own gumption. But in fear and trembling. In humility. In awe. WHY? Because God is the one in you, giving you power and desire to be and do all that He has asked of you. But my friends… it is not a sprint. It is a marathon. My friends… it is not a playground slap fight. It is war. How do you know you have the Spirit? Believe God and keep believing God. Obey God and Keep obeying God. If you are able to do this… then the Spirit is in you. Why must that be our conclusion? Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood… but against unholy, ungodly, powerful beings in this dark world. To endure… it cannot just be us. For if it is… we will fall. But greater is He who is in us, than He who is in the world.

04 II Timothy 1:15-18 - Dare to be an Onesiphorus

03 II Timothy 1:8-14 - The Scandal of the Ages

02 II Timothy 1:3-7 - Heritage of Faith

Title: Introduction to 2 Timothy Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-2 FCF: We often struggle overemphasizing our role in the call of God. Prop: Because God is all that is behind His callings, we must continue the gospel ministry. Book Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 2 Timothy chapter 1. Second Timothy is the last letter in the Pastoral Epistles. When we began we made sure to provide an overall introduction for this series and then a specific intro for each letter within. So let me remind you of a few things about the series, get some specifics about 2 Timothy and then we will read the book, and study the greeting. Be thinking now if you want to be a reader of a chapter of 2 Timothy. In a bit here I’ll be asking for volunteers to come up and read. Lots to do today, so lets get to it. [Slide 2] REVIEW: These books are called Pastoral Epistles. Epistle is another name for letter and Pastoral is attempting to communicate their genre. However, we noted that these epistles should probably be called Ecclesiastical epistles since they relate more to how the church is to function with reference to the gospel of Christ. 1 Timothy and Titus share a common theme only slightly tailored to their specific audiences. The gospel shapes and forms the church. In this we saw that doctrine which is received by true faith produces a person conformed to Christ. 2 Timothy will deviate from that theme slightly but we will get to that in a moment. Although some scholars try to discredit Pauline authorship, their case is not easily made. Indeed, most accept Paul as the author. That is the extent of what we need to review of the series itself. Let’s move into 2 Timothy specifically. [Slide 3] 2 Timothy Proper – Reader The letter is addressed to Timothy. The same Timothy that Paul sent his fist letter to. Let’s remind ourselves of some key details of Timothy. Timothy was the son of a Gentile father and Jewish mother named Eunice. His mother came to Christ prior to Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey. His mother and grandmother Lois were responsible in teaching him the scriptures. (Most of this we discover in this book) He lived in Lystra. He came to Christ during Paul’s first missionary journey when he visited Lystra in Acts 14. During the second journey Paul and Silas added Timothy to their party (Acts 16). Paul had him circumcised mainly to not be a stumbling block to those he ministered to since he was half Jewish. Timothy co-wrote with Paul 6 of his 10 non-pastoral epistles. He was sent to Thessalonica, Macedonia, Philippi and Corinth. Overall, Paul trusted him implicitly, although there was one character flaw with Timothy. Paul in a couple places speaks of how timid Timothy was. He was probably not a coward so much, as he was simply soft spoken and easy to be steamrolled. Unfortunately, this character flaw persists even to this letter which we will see. What is the occasion and date of 2 Timothy. Or to ask the question differently – Why is Paul writing again? [Slide 4] 2 Timothy Proper – Occasion and Date Well we left Paul as he was wintering in Nicopolis. Sometime shortly thereafter, Paul is arrested once again and taken to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. Since we suppose that Paul wrote 1 Timothy and Titus sometime between AD 63-65, and his execution is probably between 67-68 sometime. This gives us a general idea of somewhere between AD 65-67 is when Paul writes this letter. But why? What does he have to say? That is the interesting part. Although it is true, there are still false teachers in Ephesus, and Timothy’s work is not quite done there. Paul seems to be writing not because of what is happening in Ephesus, but rather, because of what is happening in Rome. Paul understands that his life is about to end. And in this, he is sending, what amounts to one of the most personal letters in the New Testament. It is his final marching orders to Timothy and the church, on how to endure in their own race and be found faithful. Paul writes to insure that Timothy and the church in general, are preserved by the gospel of Christ. So what are some key themes of 2 Timothy? [Slide 5] 2 Timothy Proper – Key Themes 1.) Holding fast to sound doctrine and holy practice 2.) Avoiding needless controversies and disputes 3.) The primacy of the scriptures in preserving the church of God 4.) How to sort out vessels made for holy uses and vessels made for common uses 5.) Prophesy about the end times and the corruption in the visible church We also are continuing to look out for two ecclesiastical phrases in this letter as we did with the previous two. [Slide 6] 2 Timothy Proper – Ecclesiastical phrases 1.) In chapter 2 we will see another of Paul’s trustworthy sayings, which is easy to identify but hard to swallow. 2.) In chapter 4 Paul will break out into Doxology – a song of praise. It will be interesting to note why he does this in this letter, because it seems on the surface to be different than the others. Although it actually isn’t. Finally, as I have done the last two books, I will whet your appetite with some theological challenges and spicy topics we will be covering in 2 Timothy. Just because I list them here doesn’t mean I actually know what the answers are. Not yet

01 2 Timothy 1:1-2 - Introduction to 2 Timothy

Title: Show and Tell Text: Titus 3:12-15 FCF: We often struggle showing and speaking our love for our fellow Christians. Prop: Because we are united in faith that produces love for each other, we must show and speak love to our brothers and sisters. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Titus 3. Today we will wrap up Paul’s final words to Titus. It should come as no surprise to anyone that Paul stays remarkably on theme, even in his closing remarks to Titus. It is almost as if Paul cannot help but put this message into everything he says. And what is that message? Don’t worry – this week are you going to hear it a few times. [Slide 2] Doctrine received in true faith produces a person conformed to Christ. Today, Paul teaches by way of implication. He tells Titus to show and tell true Christian love which flows from the unity of those who are in the faith. Lord willing we will see this theme easily enough. I will begin reading in verse 12. I am reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible on page 1346. Transition: And so, although this sermon is not a long one – it does attempt to conclude all that Paul has said to Titus. And in doing that, it cuts to the heart of the matter for many of us. I.) Unity in faith produces love toward one another, so we minister to one another through acts of love. (12-14) a. [Slide 3] 12 – When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, i. As Paul closes out his letter to Titus he has some final words for his hammer. A couple final instructions for the man he knows will see it done. ii. First, is that he is sending relief. iii. Relief in the form of either of these men coming to replace Titus. iv. What is clear is that Paul does not know which he will send. v. But who are these men? vi. The first man Artemas we know nothing about. He is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture. vii. The second man, Tychicus (which is really fun to say), we do see mentioned in a few places. 1. [Slide 4] In Acts 20, we see him as a companion of Paul from the province of Asia. This doesn’t mean China or Russia, rather this means Asia Minor. He is from the south western part of Asia minor which is just in view on your map. He is listed with another from that province, Trophimus, who we learn in the next chapter of Acts is from Ephesus. Perhaps his brother? 2. Tychicus was sent with Onesimus to deliver the prison epistles which are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon although he is not mentioned in Philippians or Philemon. 3. We will also see him again in II Timothy, being sent to Ephesus. It seems that he has a lot of history in Ephesus. Perhaps like Trophimus he was from there, especially if they were brothers. 4. So what we can say about Tychicus is that he has a history of being a faithful companion of Paul’s. It seems as though his primary function is to be sent to established churches to check in and reinforce teachings and practice. viii. Given that 2 Timothy says that Tychicus is sent from Paul who is in prison in Rome, that probably means that Artemas got the nod from Paul to come to Crete. ix. But why was Titus was being relieved. b. [Slide 5] Do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. i. [Slide 6] It appears that while ministering in Macedonia, in the midsummer, Paul writes to Titus to accomplish his mission there in Crete, and meet him in Nicopolis. ii. As you see on your map, Nicopolis is just south of Macedonia. Because we find out later that Titus is later sent to Dalmatia in 2 Timothy, we can reasonably suspect that Paul was headed further north before being imprisoned again. In fact, Paul may have been arrested in Nicopolis during this winter. The next letter has him in prison writing to Timothy, probably only a year or two after this was penned. iii. Why would Paul stop at Nicopolis if he desired to go further north? One word… winter. iv. Winter on the Adriadic sea is fairly tumultuous. It is a good way to be shipwrecked. Paul was no stranger to that of course – but probably many ships were docked for the winter. v. Paul needs Titus to come to him. Probably because Paul planned to go with him to Dalmatia. vi. But Paul is not just planning to send Titus a replacement – he is also giving him another task to accomplish before he leaves. c. [Slide 7] 13 – Make every effort to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; i. Most likely, these two men carried the letter we are finishing today to Titus. ii. Once again, we are given two names. And once again we know nothing about the first name and a lot about the second. iii. Zenas is not mentioned at all in the New Testament except here of course. We know he is a lawyer, but even in that description it is difficult to know exactly what Paul means. 1. Many times, in the gospels when someone is called a lawyer it is because they are an expert in the Mosaic law. This may still be the case since Apollos, even though we haven’t gotten to him yet, is a Jew who knew the Old Testament well. 2. However, it is just as likely that this is his profession, meaning an expert in civil and Roman law. iv. With Apollos we know much more! 1. First we find him in Acts 18 preaching. He was a Jew from Alexandria, and a disciple of John the Baptist being taught about Jesus but without having ever met or being taught by Jesus. Aquila and Pricilla take him under their wing and refine his understanding of Christ. By the end of their tutelage, he becomes a skilled refuter of those who were still clinging to Judaism and in proving Jesus to be the Messiah. 2. After this, we see him remain in Corinth, no doubt after Paul had visited, to continue discipleship there. Unfortunately, he gained a following which pitted him and his teaching style against Paul and others. Paul writes to correct this after Apollos had moved on. He even says that Apollos will visit them again soon. v. So where are these two going? What is their mission? Well… we don’t know. vi. All we know is… d. [Slide 8] Make sure they have what they need. i. They are coming through Crete, and they are going to need some things. ii. Titus is tasked with making sure that they are given all they need. iii. But this is not just an assignment for Titus to fill. e. [Slide 9] 14 – Here is another way that our people can learn to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful i. This is another opportunity for Paul to get right back to the point of the entire letter. ii. [Slide 10] Doctrine we receive by true faith produces lifestyles conformed to Christ. iii. So what do those who have received Christ’s teaching by true faith do when they have an opportunity to care for traveling preachers of the Word? III John anyone? iv. Care for them! v. So now, not only can Titus prove His true faith- but he can also show the Cretan Christians what to do also… f. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: So in Paul’s final words to Titus he encourages Titus to look up from Crete and look to the future phase of his ministry. But in so doing, he must keep one eye on his role there in Crete toward the body. In the end, Paul conveys God’s people, being united in faith, do lovingly care for one another as an expression of that true faith they possess. g. Passage Application: In application, Titus is to demonstrate how doctrine received in true faith produces a life conformed to Christ, by loving those whom Paul sends. But not him alone. All the Cretan Christians must join in this work too. h. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: As we expand this out to all of scripture, we do find a consistent theme. The heart of the second half of the decalogue is the love for your neighbor. The majority of the moral and civil code for the Jews was basically, love for their neighbor. The entire law can be summarized in two commands, one of which is love for their neighbor. And Christ gives a new law to His disciples, which is to love each other as He loved them. This is not new. God’s people have always been expected by God to give of themselves to each other. i. Broader Biblical Application: And so in application CBC, it is very simple but not very easy. We must be busy about the business that God has set out for us. We minister to true believers both within our small congregation and without, knowing that we share one faith, and are united in love because of it. Transition: [Slide 13 (blank)] So the unity of our faith produces a love for one another which is naturally expressed in works of righteousness toward believers, done in love. But what else should it produce? II.) Unity in faith produces love toward one another, so we must encourage one another in the church. (15) a. [Slide 14] 15 – Everyone with me greets you. i. This is a personal message of encouragement for Titus. This is the singular “you” and not intended for all the rest of the church. ii. How uplifting it would be to be knee deep in all this work on the little island of Crete and be given a letter to remind you of all the work you have to do, and at the very end – hey… everyone here says we love ya and we have been praying for you! b. [Slide 15] Greet those who love us in the faith. i. Now Titus is to take that same love, care, and devotion and tell the Cretan Christians there… ii. Hey, from all of us, we love you all. iii. And not because you are lovable. Not because we are gracious. But because our God is great, our Savior is merciful, and the Spirit binds us! We are one in the Spirit! That is why we can say that we love you… and that is why you can say you love us. iv. And so, again – Paul emphasizes that love comes from faith. And faith comes from the Spirit. v. [Slide 16] Doctrine we receive by true faith produces lifestyles conformed to Christ. vi. We love God and others because God first loved us! c. [Slide 17] Grace be with you all. i. And Paul’s more traditional ending for many of His letters. ii. Grace be with you all. iii. Paul especially, but New Testament writers in general had a love of grace. iv. Favor of God, uncalled for, unseen, undeserved. But power and passion to do as He desires. Ability and Desire gifted by God to His dear children to be what He wants them to be. v. And Paul’s desire is that grace is with them all. He cannot force it to be so, but it is his truest desire. vi. As should be our truest desire and hope for all God’s people. And we can hope in this because God has promised a constant supply of His grace to His people. d. [Slide 18] Passage Truth: Paul continues this theme of unity in faith and how that leads to us loving each other. He demonstrates that by offering encouraging words to Titus and the Cretans there. e. Passage Application: Titus must, in turn, encourage the body with the words from Paul. f. [Slide 19] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out to all of scripture we understand that a key part of expressing love toward fellow believers, is by our speech. We encourage, train, edify, communicate the word, exhort, and even rebuke – all with our words. Down through the ages, anyone God has used to minister to His people, have had key roles in speaking life to them. g. Broader Biblical Application: So as we apply this text today – we must be people who love one another in deed. But also in word. We must teach, encourage, edify, exhort, rebuke, build up, and admonish one another. Conclusion: [Slide 20] And so as we reach the conclusion of the book of Titus, we can look both for how this specific text applies to us and how the entire book applies to us as a church. Let’s actually start with the whole book’s message to us. Because the application of the text today fits nicely under it. I’ll repeat it one more time. Hopefully it is sinking in. [Slide 21] Doctrine received in true faith produces a person conformed to Christ. What we have come to believe. What we have been given in faith, produces a people who live differently toward sin, toward God, toward those who share this faith, and toward the world. That is what Paul said to Timothy in 1st Timothy. That is what Paul has said to Titus. And That is what the entire New Testament says to all people who read it. At the risk of being overbearingly redundant. You can decide anything you want. You can pray whatever prayer you want. You can believe all the right things. You can say yes to every doctrine of the church. You can have 100% accurate theology, but if your life is not being conformed progressively to Christ, if your disposition toward sin and God has not changed, if your actions show that you hate God’s people and love the world, being obsessed with its passions and pleasures. My friend, you do not have true faith. You do not have faith given by the Spirit. Mentally agreeing to doctrinal truths and biblical belief are not the same thing. All who receive these truths by true faith, are conformed to Christ. And so, if you claim to be of Christ, the application is – to work out your own salvation. Do so in awe and wonder because as you continue to mine out the good works that God has prepared for you to do, you must know that He is the one that provides to you the power to dig, and the passion for the work. But if you lack passion to do all that God commands, if you lack power to do all God commands, then you must start asking yourself some serious questions. And the first should be – Am I a child of God? Taking this concept and turning it more specifically to this text we see, that one aspect of lifestyle change is that we obey the new command that Christ has given to His disciples. We take the love with which He loved us, and we love one another the same way. Both in deed and word. My friends there are many who are going through difficult times in this small congregation. Things that you know about – and things you’ll probably never know. Trials of great difficulty and temptations of tremendous power. So… how are you being the hands and feet of Christ to these people? And maybe… maybe I don’t need to elaborate on that too much. Maybe that question is piercing enough. How are you being the hands and feet of Christ to one another? Although we are a small body – I hope… I hope that you will invest yourself into one another. That is, after all, how the world will know we are His disciples. By our love for one another.

09 Titus 3:12-15 - Show and Tell

08 Titus 3:8-11 - Graced Public Relations Part 2

[Slide1] Turn in your bible to one of the passages that you see listed on the screen behind me. In a few moments I will be asking that each of these passages is read aloud in whatever version you prefer. Last week, we set out to prepare ourselves for the Lord’s Supper. From I Corinthians 11:27-33 and from other passages of scripture we considered two questions. First, what does it mean to be prepared for the Lord’s Table? Second, How should I approach the Lord’s Table? The first question focused on this past week, and the second question focused on today. [Slide 2] But just in case you missed last week, let me summarize the preparation required to come to the table. First, is self-examination. Not to be a perfect Christian or sinless – but rather to ensure that you are a Christian. Are you a true child of God? This is a good question to consider because to partake in this spiritual meal while being unworthy could lead to sickness or even death. Second is seriousness. To prepare for the Lord’s table you cannot be concerned about the temporary problems of this world, nor can you underestimate the value of the Lord’s Supper. Further, and thirdly, if you are to be prepared you must come in understanding – not just of the meal, but intimately understanding what God has done and continues to do for His people. Fourthly, you must come hungering and thirsting after the benefits of the atonement of Christ. Only then will you eat and drink deeply. Fifth, to be prepared for the meal you must come with contrition over your sin. Not mourning what you intend to keep, nor racking your brain to confess everything you can think of, but rather sorrowfully understanding that your sin killed the Son of God – yet He went willingly to pay its penalty for you, to break its power over you, and one day, starting today, to eliminate it presence in you. Sixth, to be prepared, you must come in sincerity. Why are you coming to dine? To Check a box, to perform a ritual, to earn something from God? No! Come humbly seeking and expecting to be fed by your God. Finally, to be truly prepared, you must come with a growing love of Christ. Indeed, it is He with which we do commune in this meal. He comes to join us here spiritually as He continues to intercede for us in the throne room of the Father. Stoke your love for Him who has freed you unto life. I hope that you who were here last week have spent adequate time preparing your hearts and the hearts of your family and others, for the meal which is laid before us. [Slide 3] As I considered what would be a fitting message to give as we head into the Lord’s Table my intention from the outset was to provide all that you needed to approach the Table this morning with understanding and the right attitude. I began by looking over my previous sermons on the topic. As I read through what we have seen already, I started copying snippets. Eventually I had an entire message cobbled together from several previous messages. And so, I guess we have somewhat of a Frankenstein’s monster message this morning. Let me pray before we dive in. [Slide 4] So, the first thing we need is to understand. What is the meaning of this thing we do? First, it is called a sacrament. Now what does that word mean? It isn’t really a word we use in every day conversation, is it? Sacrament means a holy ordinance of Christ which is symbolic but also confers the meaning of the symbol to those who partake. So to define all our terms here, first it is a holy ordinance of Christ. Christ did ordain this practice and set it apart for worship. It is symbolic, in that the elements of the ordinance represent spiritual truth but are not in and of themselves anything extraordinary. But this symbol also confers or gives the meaning of those symbols in the ordinance to those who come in true faith. So as we apply this to the Lord’s Supper, what does this mean? The Meaning of the Sacrament: 1. First, we must see what the Lord’s Supper is not. a. [Slide 5] We deny that the elements themselves contain or become the actual physical body and blood of Christ. Such a teaching is theologically contradictory to God’s law, Christologically contradictory to Christ’s presence in heaven, Stereologically contradictory to Christ’s sacrifice being once for all, physically disturbing, and has grave implications both in its composition and application. i. Therefore we strongly deny the Roman Catholic and Lutheran perspectives on the Lord’s Supper. ii. We instead affirm that the elements represent the spiritual reality of the redemptive effect of Christ’s body and blood. And so, we partake spiritually of Christ’s atoning work of His body and blood and so feed our souls on that effect. b. [Slide 6] We deny the use of the Sacrament as a work to earn a state of grace or to earn forgiveness for our sins. Again, such a teaching is theologically dubious and has dire applications for both the church and the individual believer. Ultimately, such teaching is works based salvation which is a false gospel. i. With this we therefore deny the Roman Catholic and Lutheran perspectives on the Lord’s Supper. ii. We affirm a spiritual benefit of the meal, but such a benefit is only available to those who are already a partaker in the truth that the sign represents. And that benefit is a gift of God that we receive by faith. c. [Slide 7] We deny that the Lord’s Supper is only a memorial, remembering the death of Christ. i. The key word here is only. We certainly do remember our Lord’s death, but more than that, we are nourished by it to the extent that we leave strengthened and empowered to live more like Christ. ii. With this we therefore deny most Baptist, Bible, Non-Denominational, and Evangelical church views on the Lord’s Supper, not as heretical, simply as incomplete. iii. We affirm the spiritual benefit of the meal, as we are united to Christ. By partaking of the bread and the cup we are spiritually partaking in the redemptive and sustaining power of the body and blood of Christ. 2. [Slide 8] So, what is the Lord’s Supper? The Lord’s Supper is a feast of remembrance, communion, faith, hope, fellowship and thanksgiving. a) It is a feast of remembrance. We come in remembrance that our Lord Jesus Christ was sent of the Father into the world to assume our flesh and blood and to fulfill for us all obedience to God’s divine law, even to the bitter and shameful death of the cross. By His death, resurrection, and ascension he established a new and eternal covenant of grace and reconciliation that we might be accepted of God and never be forsaken by Him. b) It is a feast of communion. We come to have communion with this same Christ who has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the world. – In the breaking of the bread he makes himself known to us as the true heavenly Bread that strengthens us unto life eternal. He calls it His body, in that His Body inaugurates for us a new and living way to access God. 1. His Body is the rent curtain, the new and living way to God - Hebrews 10:19-25 2. Christ is the Bread of Life – John 6:35-40 3. The Bread is His Body – I Corinthians 11:23-24 – In the cup of blessing he comes to us as the Vine in whom we must abide if we are to bear fruit. He calls it the New Covenant, ratified by his blood, by which we have been sprinkled clean. 1. Christ is the Vine apart from which we are nothing. God gives us fruitfulness through Christ’s sacrifice for our sin and by His righteousness. Drawing from Him and pruned by the Father we will bear much fruit. John 15:1-11 2. The cup is the New Covenant in His blood where God puts away our sin and writes his law on our hearts- I Corinthians 11:25-26 3. The New Covenant is inaugurated in Christ’s blood by which we are sprinkled clean – Hebrews 9:11-15 4. It is this blood of the eternal covenant with which we can enter God’s holy presence and receive mercy and grace – Hebrews 4:16 and some one else can grab Hebrews 13:9-12 c) It is a feast of faith. We come in faith, believing that unity with Christ is God’s normal way in which He strengthens and sustains us for His holy purpose on earth, and will ultimately present us faultless before the throne of God, perfecting the work which He began in us. The Lord’s Supper is a sign of this truth. But unlike the normal means of grace – study of God’s Word, prayer, preaching, and church fellowship and discipleship – the Lord’s Supper is a special way that God does strengthen and sustain His dear children. In that, void of human effort, for those entering by faith to receive this sign of God’s provision in Christ – God does also then provide Christ to us all the more. d) It is a feast of hope. We come in hope, believing that as often as we eat this meal together, we do proclaim the Lord’s death, its continual atoning work for us, until he comes again. Knowing that He will present us faultless before the throne of God if we are His children. And believing that this bread and this cup are a pledge and foretaste of the feast of love of which we shall partake when his kingdom has fully come, when we with unveiled face shall behold him, and be made to be like him in his glory. e) It is a feast of fellowship. Since by his death, resurrection, and ascension Christ has obtained for us the life-giving Spirit who unites us all in one body, so we come to receive this Supper in true love, mindful of the communion of saints. And, as we are united to Christ more through this meal – we are also united more to one another. f) It is a feast of thanksgiving. We come in thankfulness for what our Savior has done for us, and continues to do for us, and will do for us. Although we may disagree with their doctrine, the Roman Catholic Church refers to the Lord’s Supper as the Eucharist. This name is derived from the Greek word Eucharidzo which means to give thanks. In each account of the first Lord’s Supper in Scripture Christ gives thanks before breaking the bread. So, Christ the Son of God demonstrates for us the proper spirit of receiving this sign and the truth signified. We do so with gladness in our hearts for what we are in Christ and how God continues to sustain us with Him until we will be like Him. [Slide 9] This is the Lord’s Supper. Today we will celebrate together! But how should you approach this feast of blessing? a) [Slide 10] First let me speak to those who should NOT partake in this meal with us. a. If you are not a believer here among us today. Meaning that you have never claimed to follow Christ. I would caution you about attending this event. If you want to observe, you may, but please do not partake. Not only is there nothing for you beneficially in this event, there is also great risk to you as well. The scriptures warn us that this is a holy meal. A meal which could do great harm to you, possibly even kill you if you partake in an unworthy way. b. The same warning goes for those among us who have claimed to be followers of Christ, but are knowingly and willfully living in sin that they do not intend to turn from. Claim to be of Christ all you wish, but know that until you agree with God about your sin, and desire to kill it, you cannot be sure that you are God’s child. You cannot be sure that he is forgiving and cleansing you of sin. A hatred of sin and a love of God’s law is something He produces, in growing degrees, in all his dear children. So please, for your own sake, repent of the sin to which you are clinging, and join us to receive grace for victory, or do not partake. c. Finally, if you see the Lord’s Supper completely different than we do – either clinging to something we deny or denying something we affirm. I’d also encourage you to not partake. I cannot say with certainty that you would do so in an unworthy way – but it may be best for you to settle the matter with God before joining us. d. If you are any of these people – and do not plan to observe – I’d ask that you quietly depart after the prayer. Try your best to not engage in conversation, or otherwise distract those who are entering into this sacred meal. b) [Slide 11] Now let me talk to those who should partake in this meal. a. Friends do you need victory over sin, a closer relationship to Christ, a more intimate bond with fellow believers, passion and power to do as God pleases, or to be sustained once again by the reality of the atonement of Christ? Are any of these you? b. God has given a meal for you. A sign of the truth that Christ sustains us… and in that sign… He does actually sustain us. c. So come, eat, drink, let us be filled in our souls by the atonement of Christ. d. [Slide 12] But as we learned last week – approach the table in these 5 ways. i. Come in humility and self-denial. Understand that in and of yourself you are unworthy to come and dine. Yet the Most-High God was pleased to crush His Son to secure your invitation to come and be sustained by His Son’s crushing. Know your place and come knowing what you are - a humble beggar who has been offered a royal feast. ii. Come with hearts set on heaven. This meal is the Kingdom of heaven peeking through the curtain of this world. This is Christ communing with us in images and pictures as He will one day commune with us in flesh and blood. See the meal as it is – a foretaste of what will be. iii. Come in true faith. A faith that endures all things. A faith that trusts God no matter what life, this world, or anyone or anything else says. A faith that loves God and obeys God. A faith that is alive. Come with this alien faith given by the Spirit. iv. Come with love for one another. No grudges, no fights, no lingering sins. Whether someone has sinned against you and you cannot let love cover it, or you have sinned against another and they have not mentioned it, in either case – pursue peace and love with your brother. And see them as they are – the object of Christ’s atonement- just. Like. You. v. Come in prayerfulness. Come expecting the Lord to do great things. Come expecting to be freed from sin. Come expecting to be given victory. Come expecting to be comforted. Come expecting to be strengthened. God is not obligated to do so. He may not yet desire you to be free of the trial or difficulty you are in, but that doesn’t change our hopeful hearts as we come asking and expecting to be filled, begging to have our thirst quenched. [Slide 13] For all who are planning to join us for the meal, please listen carefully. In a few moments I will pray. After that, we will all make our way upstairs to have the Lord’s Supper together. Children will be brought to the intersection outside the restrooms. Parents can pick them up there. At the top of the stairs, on either side, will be a table with the bread and juice. Please grab what you need and find a seat further into the room. We will begin with prayer and testimonies when everyone has gotten what they needed. If you do not plan to attend, again, I’d ask that you try your best not to distract any who are headed up. We do not wish to interfere with their own approach to the table. Let me pray.

01 All We Need for the Table

01 Ready for The Lord's Table

01 Luke 24:13-25 - O Foolish Ones

01 Romans 1-3 - Sin, Grace, Faith and Obedience, An Apparent Contradiction

Wanting to listen to all our sermons? Not just the last 10? Go to http://columbusbc.com/church-cast These are the sermons and services of Columbus Baptist Church. We are located at 1258 Palms Rd. in Columbus MI 48063 You can reach us at 810-367-3094 or secretary@columbusbc.com

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