THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 10-14-18
LESSON TITLE: "A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS"
WELCOME
TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD." IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WHAT A GLORIOUS LORD'S DAY MORNING IT IS. AS ALWAYS IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. WE ARE THANKFUL YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO JOIN US AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO THE THINGS OF GOD.
IT IS OUR HOPE AND PRAYER THIS MORNING THAT WE MAY EACH PARTICIPATE AND DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE BEFORE HIM AND ACCORDING TO HIS WORD. NOW LET'S BEGIN BY TALKING TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER!
PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE, THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. WE THANK YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ALL GOOD GIFTS COME FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOUR SON MADE THE GREAT SACRIFICE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE BLESSINGS TODAY AND LIFE ETERNAL AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT GIFT. AND FATHER, HELP US NOW TO WORSHIP YOU IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
WHAT A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE WE HAVE TO GLORIFY OUR GOD THROUGH SONGS OF PRAISE. IN FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE TO "LIFT UP JESUS," IN ALL THAT WE DO. LET'S BEGIN THIS MORNING, WITH A HYMN THAT REMINDS US OF THE GREAT BLESSINGS WE HAVE WHEN GOD IS WITH US. SO, WON'T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AND DO YOUR PART AS WE SING TOGETHER, "BLUE SKIES AND RAINBOWS."
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
WE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED THIS MORNING AND SUNG ABOUT HOW GREAT AND WONDERFUL THE BLESSINGS OF GOD ARE! I HOPE THAT EVERYONE JOINING US, HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED THIS FACT IN HIS OR HER OWN MIND. HOWEVER, ANOTHER ENCOURAGING FACT CONCERNING GOD IS THAT WE ARE MADE LIKE HIM. IN GENESIS 1:27, WE READ, "SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM."
WE FIND TWO IMPORTANT FACTS HERE THAT CONFIRM TO US JUST HOW SPECIAL WE ARE. FIRST, WE SEE THAT WE ARE CREATED BY GOD. HOW COULD WE BE MORE HONORED OR MORE PERFECT, THAN BY BEING CREATED BY THE ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE? IT WAS THE VERY HAND OF GOD THAT PROVIDED US THIS OPPORTUNITY OF LIFE. THUS, WE ARE MADE BY HIM UNTO HIS GLORY. THE SECOND THING WE READ ABOUT IN THE PREVIOUS VERSE IS THAT MANKIND IS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. SO, WE ARE NOT ONLY MADE BY HIM BUT WE ARE ALSO MADE IN HIS LIKENESS.
HOWEVER, DON'T LET THIS CONCEPT CONFUSE YOU, BECAUSE GOD IS NOT MADE WITH FLESH AND BLOOD. THIS IS CONFIRMED FOR US IN JOHN 4:24, WHERE JESUS SAID, "GOD IS SPIRIT, AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH." JOHN SAID GOD IS A SPIRIT. PAUL SAID, "NOW THIS I SAY, BRETHREN, THAT FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD," FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:50. GOD IS NOT FLESH AND BLOOD, NOR IS HIS KINGDOM. FURTHERMORE, NO PHYSICAL BODY CAN INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
SO, WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT BEING CREATED IN HIS IMAGE? IT MEANS THAT WE ARE CREATED IN HIS SPIRITUAL LIKENESS. WE CAN STRIVE TO IMITATE HIS SPIRITUAL CHARACTERISTICS, THUS MAKING OURSELVES TO BE FOUND APPROVED IN HIS SIGHT. IN VERSE 52 AND 53, OF THE SAME OPENING, FIRST CORINTHIANS 15, PAUL WENT ON TO SAY, "IN A MOMENT, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMPET. FOR THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND, AND THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY."
I HOPE NOW YOU ARE BEGINNING TO SEE JUST HOW SPECIAL WE ARE FOR A BEING LIKE GOD TO NOT ONLY CREATE US, BUT TO ALSO CREATE US IN HIS IMAGE. I REALLY LIKE THE WAY THE PSALMIST, DAVID, PUT IT WHEN HE SAID, "I WILL PRAISE YOU, FOR I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE; MARVELOUS ARE YOUR WORKS, AND THAT MY SOUL KNOWS VERY WELL," PSALMS 139:14. WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IN MAKING US HIS MOST SPECIAL AND PRECIOUS CREATION, THUS GIVING US DOMINION OVER ALL THINGS.
TODAY WE WANT TO BEGIN A NEW SERIES OF STUDY THAT IS ENTITLED, "SHOWING YOURSELF TO BE..." IT WILL BE OUR GOAL THROUGH THIS STUDY TO REMIND OURSELVES WHAT THE CHARACTER OF A CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE LIKE. OUR SPECIFIC LESSON THIS MORNING WILL DEAL WITH "A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS!" SO, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG WE WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. AS FAR AS OUR GUEST SPEAKER, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE BROTHER TREY SULLINS WITH US TODAY. BROTHER TREY IS THE MINISTER FOR THE OMAHA CHURCH OF CHRIST. WE THANK HIM FOR JOINING US THIS DAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HIM LEADING OUR THOUGHTS FROM GOD'S WORD. NOW LET'S JOIN IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE DAY. THE NAME OF THE HYMN IS, "HOW SHALL THE YOUNG SECURE THEIR HEARTS."
LESSON
BY TREY SULLINS
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US AS WE CONTINUE OUR STUDIES IN GOD'S WORD. IT IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AS WE GATHER IN GOD'S NAME TO LOOK THROUGH HIS HOLY SCRIPTURES AND STUDY THE THINGS THAT HE HAS FOR US TO FOLLOW. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US. AS WE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A NEW THEME THIS MORNING AS WE TALK ABOUT IN ALL THINGS SHOWING OURSELVES.
IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES, TURN WITH ME TO TITUS AND CHAPTER 2. WE'RE GOING TO READ HERE HOW PAUL WAS BEGINNING WITH GENERAL ADMONITIONS TO THE CHURCH OR TO TIMOTHY TO GIVE TO THE CHURCH, HE GIVES OUR TOPIC, AND RATHER OUR THEME. THAT'S TITUS CHAPTER 2 AND IN VERSE SEVEN. HE SAYS, "IN ALL THINGS SHOWING YOURSELF TO BE A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS; IN DOCTRINE SHOWING INTEGRITY, REVERENCE, INCORRUPTABILITY." NOW RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT VERSE OF VERSE SEVEN YOU NOTICE HE SAYS, "IN ALL THINGS SHOWING YOURSELF." AND SO THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE SHOWING OURSELVES AS GOD'S PEOPLE. THE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE A SHINING FORCE OF THE WORLD AS PEOPLE LOOK TO US TO SEE THE EXAMPLE THAT WAS LEFT FOR US.
NOW THE SPECIFIC TOPIC WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS THE PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS. READ IT WITH ME AGAIN. IT SAYS, "IN ALL THINGS SHOWING YOURSELF TO BE A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS." NOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS, IT IS OF COURSE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT HERE. THE WORD PATTERN ISN'T ANY MYSTERY TO US. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS AND IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGES IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING. ACCORDING TO STRONG'S GREEK DICTIONARY IT SAYS THAT THIS WORD PATTERN IS REFERRING TO A MARK OR AN IMPRESSION THAT IS LEFT BEHIND. TO UNDERSTAND, YOU MIGHT IMAGINE MAYBE A COIN OR SOMETHING. A BLANK COIN HAS TO BE PRESSED OR THAT IMAGE HAS TO BE IMPRESSED UPON IT THROUGH THE VARIOUS METHODS THAT THEY DO IN ORDER TO IMPRESS THAT IMAGE ONTO THE COIN. THE SYMBOLS AND THE VALUES AND THE WORDS AND ALL THE THINGS ON IT. WHAT DO THEY USE? THEY USE A PATTERN. THEY USE A PATTERN TO PRESS THAT IMAGE INTO THE COIN. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT PAUL IS MEANING HERE. THAT WE NEED TO SHOW OURSELVES TO BE AN IMPRESSION OF GOOD WORKS. SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK TO AND DO THAT UPON THEMSELVES, IMPRESS THAT IMAGE UPON THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY TOO WILL BE DOING THOSE GOOD WORKS.
NOW WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE BREAKING THIS DOWN AND LOOKING AT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT HE MEANS HERE. A PATTERN FIRST OFF IS SOMETHING THAT IS RECOGNIZABLE, SOMETHING THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE. AND YOU REMEMBER ALL THE WAY BACK MAYBE IN TO DIFFERENT MATH CLASSES THAT YOU HAD PROBABLY WHEN YOU'RE MUCH YOUNGER YOU WOULD DEAL WITH STUFF LIKE THIS. BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE VERY SIMPLE PATTERNS. AND THESE PATTERNS MIGHT BE A SQUARE, CIRCLE, SQUARE, CIRCLE, SQUARE, CIRCLE. AND THEN YOU WOULD THINK WELL, WHAT'S NEXT? WELL, OBVIOUSLY THE SQUARE WOULD BE NEXT. THE THING THAT IS NEXT IN THAT PATTERN. BUT YOU NOTICE BY THIS ILLUSTRATION THAT IT IS RECOGNIZABLE. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE. YOU WOULDN'T SIT THERE AND THINK, 'WELL, I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT SUPPOSED TO COME NEXT.' IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE. THAT'S WHAT A PATTERN IS AS FAR AS WHAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT HERE. SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SEEN AND SOMETHING THAT CAN BE UNDERSTOOD.
YOU MIGHT ALSO TURN OVER THERE WITH ME TO PHILIPPIANS IN CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 17. IN PHILIPPIANS 3:17 HE TALKS MORE ABOUT THIS IDEA OF THE PATTERN AND BREAKS IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR US AS WE UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY THIS PATTERN IS SUPPOSED TO BE. THAT'S PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 3 AND IN VERSE 17. IT SAYS, "BRETHREN, JOIN IN FOLLOWING MY EXAMPLE, AND NOTE THOSE WHO SO WALK, AS YOU HAVE US FOR A PATTERN." DID YOU NOTICE THE LANGUAGE THERE THAT WAS USED BY PAUL AGAIN? HE SAYS JOIN IN FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE. AND HE SAYS NOTE THOSE WHO ARE OF THE PATTERN. IN OTHER WORDS, NOTE THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT IMPRESSION ON THEM. WHO DO THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE TO BE A PART OF THAT GOOD EXAMPLE AND THEN FOLLOW IT. DO THAT SAME THING IN YOUR OWN LIFE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COME TO NEXT AS WE TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF GOOD WORKS.
BUT NEXT, FIRST PETER CHAPTER 2 AND IN VERSE 21, WE FIND HERE AGAIN A VERY SIMILAR THING MENTIONED AS FAR AS THE PATTERN THAT IS TO BE FOLLOWED BUT WE NOTICE SOMETHING THAT IS FOUNDATIONAL AND FOLLOWING A PROPER PATTERN. FOLLOWING A GOOD PATTERN THAT IS ONE THAT WILL BENEFIT US ULTIMATELY IN THE NEXT LIFE. THAT'S FIRST PETER CHAPTER 2 AND IN VERSE 21. THE BIBLE HERE SAYS, "FOR TO THIS YOU WERE CALLED, BECAUSE CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR US, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU SHOULD FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS." NOW LOOKING AT THE LAST PART OF THE VERSE, JESUS CHRIST LEFT US THE EXAMPLE. HE LEFT US THE PATTERN THAT WE MUST FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS PATTERN AND WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE TO BE THAT IMPRESSION, THAT MARK THAT PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW, WELL, WHAT FIRST IMPRESSED UPON US TO MAKE US THAT PATTERN TO BE FOLLOWED? WELL, JESUS CHRIST. HE'S THE ONE WHO GAVE US THE FIRST PATTERN IN THE VERY FIRST PLACE. YOU KNOW, HE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO BE APPLIED TO THE COIN. THE FIRST ONE TO BE LAID OUT THAT OTHERS COULD SEE AND OTHERS COULD FOLLOW. HE IS THE ORIGINAL PATTERN. HE IS THE PATTERN MAKER, THE PATTERN LAYER THAT IS THEN APPLIED TO US. SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND EASILY THAT A PATTERN ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S TO BE HIDDEN OR SOMETHING THAT IS TO BE NOT RECOGNIZABLE. YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT OTHER PASSAGES IN WHICH WE'LL LOOK AT HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.
IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 6 AND IN OTHER PLACES WHERE THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT US BEING THE LIGHTS OF THE WORLD, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, OF COURSE, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S HIDDEN. HE EVEN SAYS NOT HIDDEN OR PUT UNDER A BASKET. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS SHUT AWAY AND PUT OUT FROM THE WORLD BUT SOMETHING THAT IS OUT IN THE OPEN. IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE AND EASILY SEEABLE BY THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO LOOK.
WE WILL LOOK AT ONE MORE VERSE HERE AS FAR AS THE PATTERN GOES BECAUSE IT SHOWS US JUST HOW CLEAR THIS EXAMPLE SHOULD BE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SHINE FORTH IN OUR LIVES. FIRST CORINTHIANS AND IN CHAPTER 11, FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 11 IN VERSE ONE. OF COURSE THEY'RE WRITING TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH. IN VERSE ONE PAUL MENTIONS, "IMITATE ME JUST AS I ALSO IMITATE CHRIST." NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW OPEN PAUL'S PATTERN WAS. HOW OPEN HIS EXAMPLE WAS. DO YOU SEE ANY HESITATION IN THERE AS YOU READ THAT? DOES HE GO, 'WELL, YOU KNOW MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T FOLLOW ME. WELL, YOU KNOW MAYBE I DO SOME THINGS WRONG SOMETIMES SO I WOULDN'T IMITATE ME ALL THE TIME YOU KNOW.' HE SAYS IMITATE ME JUST AS I IMITATE CHRIST. THAT'S THE KIND OF LIVES WE SHOULD BE LIVING. LIVES WHERE WE CAN SAY, 'IMITATE ME AND YOU'LL BE DOING WHAT JESUS CHRIST WANTS YOU TO DO. IMITATE ME AND YOU WILL BE IMITATING JESUS CHRIST.' THAT'S THE PATTERN THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
NOW, STILL CONTINUING THOUGH IN TITUS IN CHAPTER 2 WE NOTICE HE DIDN'T STOP THERE OF COURSE. HE SAYS THE PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS. NOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE GOOD WORKS THIS AGAIN ISN'T REALLY TOO MYSTERIOUS TO ANYBODY AND NOT TOO DEEP OF A SUBJECT BUT IT'S THOSE THINGS THAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RIGHTEOUS, THOSE ACTIONS AND THOSE DEEDS. THE WORD THERE 'WORKS' AGAIN IS TALKING ABOUT LABORS OR DEEDS; THINGS THAT ARE DONE AND ACTIONS. AND SO YOU SEE AGAIN THE PATTERN ISN'T SOMETHING THAT IS HIDDEN. THE PATTERN ISN'T SOMETHING THAT IS SITTING AND WAITING FOR OTHERS TO LOOK AT IT. THE PATTERN IS ACTION. THE PATTERN IS DOING AND THE PATTERN IS SEEN BECAUSE IT IS WORKING, BECAUSE IT'S OUT THERE AND DOING THE THINGS THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY GOD'S MESSAGE OF COURSE. THE IDEAS OF DOING THINGS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER WHAT THOSE GOOD WORKS ARE! SOME PEOPLE IN THE WORLD COME IN NOWADAYS AND THIS ISN'T REALLY ANYTHING NEW, THOUGH WE SAY NOWADAYS, IT'S BEEN HAPPENING AS WE SEE IT WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BUT WE SEE PEOPLE WHO TRY TO GENERATE THEIR OWN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOOD AND WHAT IS NOT GOOD.
IN JEREMIAH CHAPTER 10, IF YOU WILL GO ALL THE WAY BACK THERE TO THAT TEXT WITH ME, WE NOTICE SOMETHING ABOUT THAT GOOD WORKS OR SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY THAT WE ARE TO BE LIVING. THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING THOSE GOOD WORKS FROM. IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT GOOD WORKS ARE? JEREMIAH CHAPTER 10 AND IN VERSE 23 THE BIBLE HERE SAYS, "'O LORD, I KNOW THE WAY OF NOT MAN IS NOT HIMSELF; IT IS NOT A MAN WHO WALKS TO DIRECT HIS OWN STEPS.'" NOW WE UNDERSTAND FROM THAT PASSAGE ONE SIMPLE THING THAT WE WANT TO MENTION THIS MORNING. THAT IS THAT MAN, HUMAN BEINGS, CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG FOR THEM. YOU NOTICE HOW JEREMIAH SAYS IT, "I KNOW THE WAY OF MAN IS NOT IN HIMSELF." IN OTHER WORDS WE CAN'T DIRECT THE WAY THAT WE GO, THAT NEXT PART. IT IS NOT A MAN WHO WALKS TO DIRECT HIS OWN STEPS. IT'S NOT OUR PLACE. IT'S NOT IN OUR AUTHORITY OR OUR POSITION TO DIRECT WHERE WE GO. SO WHO DOES IT? WELL, NOTICE THAT NEXT VERSE JEREMIAH CHAPTER 10 AND IN VERSE 24, "'O LORD, CORRECT ME, BUT WITH JUSTICE; NOT IN YOUR ANGER, LEST YOU BRING ME TO NOTHING.'" YOU SEE GOD IS THE ONE THAT'S TELLING US WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. GOD IS THE ONE WHO LAYS THAT PATTERN OUT, WHO LAYS THOSE GOOD WORKS OUT. WHO SAYS THIS IS A GOOD WORK. THIS IS NOT A GOOD WORK. THIS IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD. SO WE HAVE NO PLACE. WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY. WE HAVE NO ABILITY TO DECIDE WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT ISN'T GOOD. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE GOOD WORKS AREN'T JUST THE LITTLE THINGS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE THINK ABOUT GOOD WORKS AS IN PEOPLE WHO ARE KIND PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPASSIONATE, PEOPLE WHO MAYBE GIVE TO CHARITIES OR HOLDING THE DOOR OPEN FOR YOU AT A RESTAURANT AS YOU'RE TRYING TO WALK IN. BUT GOOD WORKS ISN'T JUST THE GENERAL NICE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO FOR ANOTHER. GOOD WORKS IS ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE MISSION AND THE JOB THAT WE HAVE AS CHRISTIANS TO BE GOOD PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH. TO FULFILL THE WORKS THAT GOD HAS SENT US FOR. THOSE ARE ALSO THE GOOD WORKS AS WE UNDERSTAND THEM.
WE ARE GONNA LOOK NOW AT MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 AS WE WERE MENTIONING IT EARLIER WE WANT TO GO THERE NOW AND LOOK AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE GOOD WORKS, THESE THINGS WHICH SHOULD BE OUT THERE IN THE OPEN, THESE THINGS WHICH SHOULD BE EASILY OBSERVABLE BY ALL PEOPLE. THAT'S MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 AND IN VERSE 14 THROUGH 16. HERE THE BIBLE SAYS, "'YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY THAT IS SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN. NOR DO THEY LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BASKET, BUT ON A LAMPSTAND AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE HOUSE. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.'" SO THE FIRST PART THERE IN VERSE 14, WE UNDERSTAND FROM THIS, "'YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY THAT IS SET ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN.'" THOSE GOOD WORKS NEED TO BE OUT IN THE OPEN. THOSE GOOD WORKS NEED TO BE SOMETHING AS WE ALREADY MENTIONED WITHOUT PATTERN THAT ARE RECOGNIZABLE, THAT ARE SEEABLE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SEE THOSE THINGS AND UNDERSTAND, 'OKAY, I SEE THEM DOING THIS. THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD COPY. THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD DO AND THAT'S HOW I SHOULD ACT.' YOU NOTICE THAT NEXT PART, "'NOR DO THEY LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BASKET.'" IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THESE GOOD WORKS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS PATTERN, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SHOWING FOR THE WORLD, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE COVER UP! AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE SHY ABOUT OR SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO HIDE. AND OF COURSE THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD. WE SHOULDN'T BE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING OUR GOOD WORKS OUT THERE AND SAY, 'LOOK AT ME AND LOOK AT ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT I DID.' OF COURSE THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD WANTS OF US. BUT WE SHOULDN'T BE HIDING IT! WE SHOULD LET THE WORLD KNOW OF THE GOOD WORKS OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW GOD'S MESSAGE. AND THAT'S WHAT JESUS WANTS US TO DO HERE AS WE CAN UNDERSTAND. HE ALSO SAYS, "'BUT ON A LAMPSTAND, AND IT GIVES LIGHT TO ALL WHO ARE ON THE HOUSE.'" AGAIN, NOT A NATURE OF BEING PROUD OR A NATURE OF WANTING OTHERS TO LOOK AT YOU BUT FOR SAKE OF SHOWING OTHERS THE EXAMPLE. FOR SHOWING OTHERS THAT PATTERN THAT'S BEEN LAID DOWN. YOU PUT IT UP ON THE STAND IN THE HOUSE. YOU SET IT UP SO THAT OTHERS CAN SEE THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND THEN THE PURPOSE IS SO THAT THEY TOO MIGHT JOIN YOU. THEY TOO MIGHT HAVE THAT IMPRESSION ON THEM AND FOLLOW THE SAME THING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN YOURSELF TO FOLLOW. VERSE 16, WE WILL FINALLY THE READ THIS AGAIN. IT SAYS, "'LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.'" LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN. I OFTEN LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT IF WE WERE TO VISUALIZE OR SOMEHOW GENERATE SOME SORT OF IMAGE OF GOD'S PEOPLE ON THE GLOBE. YOU IMAGINE THE PLANET HERE OUT FLOATING AROUND IN SPACE AND GOING THROUGH ITS ORBITS AND YOU IMAGINE ALL THESE LITTLE LIGHTS ALL OVER THE PLANET AND THOSE LIGHTS WOULD REPRESENT GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE, GOD'S SERVANTS. AND THAT'S WITH THE LIGHT SO SHINING MEANS THAT WE ARE TO BE THOSE WHO CAN BE SEEN. YOU MIGHT IMAGINE AS WELL WHEN YOU'RE IN THE DARK AND MAYBE YOU GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF NIGHT. YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING, WHAT DO YOU DO USUALLY? WELL, YOU'LL HAVE SOME KIND OF LIGHT OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT END UP STUBBING YOUR TOE OR HURTING YOURSELF. THAT'S THE SAME THING THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE NEED THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE YET TO FOLLOW THAT IMPRESSION, THAT PATTERN OF JESUS CHRISTS' GOOD WORKS. THEY TOO NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW THAT PATTERN ALREADY UNDERSTAND. THAT IS THE PATTERN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE PATTERN OF DOING GOOD WORKS. NOTICE THERE FINALLY IN VERSE 16 WHAT IT SAYS. THE REASONING FOR ALL OF THIS, "'THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.'" YOU SEE, THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR ALL OF THIS. AGAIN, IT'S NOT TO MAKE YOURSELF PROUD. NOT TO BOAST AS PAUL WROTE ABOUT SO MANY TIMES. BUT IT'S TO LET OTHERS GLORIFY GOD AS WELL. NOT ONLY WILL YOUR ACTIONS GLORIFY GOD BUT THOSE WHO COME IN WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES HAVING THAT IMPRESSION APPLIED UPON THEM AND THEN THEY TOO WILL GLORIFY GOD IN THEIR LIVES. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S DIM. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S DARK. THAT PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS HAS TO BE IN OUR LIVES.
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT TITUS CHAPTER TWO AND VERSE SEVEN ONE MORE TIME HE SAYS, "IN ALL THINGS SHOWING YOURSELF TO BE A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS." CONSIDER THE LIVES THAT WE LIVE TODAY. ARE WE SHOWING OURSELVES TO BE A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS IN ALL THINGS? NOW WHAT IS LEFT OUT OF ALL THINGS? OF COURSE NOTHING IS WHICH PUTS A WHOLE LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY ON US DOESN'T IT? TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS LINING UP WITH THAT PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS. WHETHER IT'S SECRETIVE OR WHETHER IT'S OUT IN THE OPEN. ALL THE THINGS WE DO HAVE TO BE ALIGNED WITH THAT PATTERN THAT GOD WANTS OF US. IF IT'S NOT, THANKFULLY OUR GOD GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO HIM. HE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE CHRISTIANS ALREADY TO REPENT OF THOSE THINGS TO GET RIGHT WITH HIM. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO JOIN HIM IN BAPTISM AFTER FOLLOWING THAT PLAN OF SALVATION THAT IS GIVEN TO US AND UNDERSTANDING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND OR TO FOLLOW THAT THROUGH WITH THAT PROCESS. WE TOO CAN HAVE THAT IMPRESSION APPLIED UPON US. YOU SEE WE HAVE TO HEAR THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, ROMANS CHAPTER 10 AND VERSE 17. BELIEVING THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD REPENTING OF OUR SINS, AND TURNING AWAY FROM THOSE SINS AND TOWARDS OUR GOD AND GETTING RID OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ONCE WERE DOING. MAKING THAT GREAT CONFESSION OF YOUR BELIEF THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD AND BEING BAPTIZED IN A WATERY GRAVE OF BAPTISM. AS ROMANS CHAPTER 6 DESCRIBES IT SOMETHING WHERE WE ARE PUT UNDER THE WATER COMPLETELY SO THAT WE MIGHT HAVE OUR SINS WASHED AWAY. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU NOW HAVE THAT IMPRESSION APPLIED UPON YOU. BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY DOESN'T STOP THERE. REVELATION CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 10 EXPLAINS TO US ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO CONTINUE ON TO THAT LIFE OF FAITHFULNESS. AND REALLY SO MANY OF THE VERSES EXPLAIN THIS TO US. AFTER BAPTISM WE KEEP ON LIVING UP TO THAT IMPRESSION. SO AGAIN I ASK THE QUESTION TO YOU THIS MORNING: ARE YOU A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS?
CLOSING COMMENTS
AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED THROUGH OUR TIME SPENT TOGETHER. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 730, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD.
NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY'S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CD OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
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ISN'T IT WONDERFUL TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING THOSE THINGS THAT GOD HAS ASKED OF US, SO THAT WE WILL BE FOUND PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT. MAY WE ALWAYS SHOW OURSELVES AS PATTERNS OF GOOD WORKS, THAT WE MY GLORIFY GOD AND HELP OTHERS TO KNOW HIM THROUGH OUR EFFORTS!