Title: Truth: God Revealed It. We Teach It.

Series: Underserved Grace

Scripture: Titus 2:1-8 [main]; Psalm 19:1-4, 7-11; John 1:1-5; 14; John 14:6; James 1:22; 2 Tim 2:2s; 1 John 1:9 ; Romans 1:16-32; 2 Tim 3:1-5

Time out

Greg McKeown says on his podcast that the COVID-19 pandemic is like God putting us in time out so that we will think about our unhealthy lifestyles and that we will discipline ourselves to live better more essential lives.

We live in a fallen world. A Romans 1-world. A 2 Timothy 3-world. (Romans 1:16-32; 2 Tim 3:1-5)

Kristie Anyabwile Spoke about being a Titus 2 woman in a Romans 1 world. 

The Main Thing

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Keith Eitel

Bottom line: 

•When we see God as he truly is, it reveals to us how we are to live. [Principle]

•When we see God as Truth, we teach it with character and competency so that God’s people live good, godly lives.

Most people are blind to the truth. That’s why they don’t teach it.

Disciple Triangle: Word, way, works (information, imitation, innovation)

“Root to Fruit” is another way of saying let’s start with God and end with us.

1.Who is God in this passage? What has he done?

1.God is truth. (John 14:6)

2.God has revealed himself to us through

1.General revelation (Psalm 19:1-4, 7-11

2.Special revelation:

1.Written word (Psalm 19:7-11; John 1:1-5)

2.Living word (John 1:14)

2.Who am I in light of this? What do I get to do as a result? As

1.A teacher (Leader). As a teacher of God’s word:

1.Teach what is appropriate for sound doctrine.

2.Teach to others so they’ll teach others. 

3.Teach as an example:

1.Always learning (disciple = learner) [slide]

2.Teach say/don’t say. TELL

3.Teach by what you do/don’t do. SHOW

4.Teach to do, not just know.

1.“Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves—do what it says!” James 1:22 NIV

2.Parable of 2 houses. Matt 7:24-27

2.A student (Learner, Disciple). Someone learning with others how to follow Christ as he seeks and saves the lost.

3.A lost person (Ignorant person). I need God’s word revealed to me by someone else.

1.I am lost without the revealed word of God seeking and saving me as one who is lost.

2.The Church is God’s holy search and rescue team for the blind. The Church is on the front lines of the expanding kingdom of God.

3.What does this look like practically?

1.Leaders/teachers teaching/training other leaders and learners the word.

2.Older generations teaching/leading younger generations the word.

3.The Word = “What is appropriate for sound doctrine” or “healthy teaching” [at ease vs dis-ease]

4.What does this look like effectively?

1.Revival. Revival is when repentance and faith of the God’s people catches on so profoundly that it sweeps through a community of faith and overflows into the surrounding community of the lost.

So, we’re going to finish up this message differently than normal.

God is holy. That means his children are holy.

•Positionally, declared righteous.

•Practically, being sanctified towards holiness.

This process called sanctification is the process of us repenting and believing over every unholy thought, word and action that God brings to mind. We repent of the lies we’re believing and embracing once again the truth of God’s revealed word.

So what I will do is read through the description of what God’s people are supposed to look like character-wise 

So that we can repent where appropriate.

I will read this passage as a prayer of confession, repentance and faith. I ask you to pray along with me repenting as you need to. After this, you’ll be invited to come forward and continue to repent and believe up front, should you wish to mark this day more strongly. This will happen during the lord’s supper.

Today is a call to repentance.

Really, every Sunday is a call to repentance. Every time the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we should repent.

May God have mercy on us. 1 John 1:9