Sunday Sermon Starter 5-28-13

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When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office.  One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue.  It was late afternoon and Herter was famished.

As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken.  She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.  “Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?”  “Sorry,” the woman told him.  “I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person.”  “But I’m starved,” the governor said.  “Sorry,” the woman said again.  “Only one to the customer.”

Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around.  “Do you know who I am?” he said.  “I am the governor of this state.”  “Do you know who I am?” the woman said.  “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken.  Move along, mister.”

In a very light-hearted way this illustrates the manner of true obedience.  We do what we are told to do and what we need to do regardless of the circumstances and to the best of our ability.  This is the call of the Christian and this is the final idea that Paul presented to Titus as he discussed “The Requirements of Redemption.”

Title:  “The Requirements of Redemption: Redemption Requires Sound Works”

Text:  Titus 2:11-3:7

Main Point:  Some people look at true obedience as being demeaning and archaic, as an outdated and unattractive way of life.  Others say that it is wholly unnecessary as the grace of God displayed by the cross is sufficient without any action on our part.  But while Paul discussed God’s grace and the cross he connected those dots with another requirement and spoke of a different take on the importance of obedience (Titus 2:11-14).  Contrary to the beliefs of the world and what many predominant religions openly teach God emphasized the presence of good works in our lives as Christians as a requirement for our redemption.  But to further understand that connection from grace through obedience to redemption Titus 2-3 needs to be examined a little more…

Discussion Points:
  • We Have a Responsibility to Submit to Good Works – At some point everything points back to the ultimate purpose of the cross.  If we are truly committed to the cross and what it means in our lives then anything demanded of us because of the cross is easy to accept.  When you go back to Titus 2:14 the connection of the cross to our obedience is clear.  The cross was intended to redeem us, purify us, and to light a fire deep in our bones to want to submit to anything God has possibly asked of us.  Other verses that reinforce the motivating factor of the cross are 2 Corinthians 5:14; John 12:32; Hebrews 12:1-2.  Likewise we must see the perfect example of obedience in Jesus who “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).  If Jesus had a responsibility to submit in obedience to the will of God so do we.  How could we claim otherwise?
  • We Have a Reason to Submit to Good Works – The number one stated reason as to why some people do not believe we must submit in obedience to good works is reflected in this remark – “Teaching the necessity of good works is to teach that one must earn their own salvation.”  But this idea is absolutely false and anyone who teaches that their good works alone will save them is in error.  The Bible does not teach the necessity of good works in order to earn salvation.  In fact, it teaches just the opposite (because we cannot earn our own salvation) [Ephesians 2:4-9; Titus 3:4-7].  Man does not submit to works of righteousness for the purpose of earning his salvation, but this does not discredit the necessity of works altogether.  No, the truth resides in the connection of grace and works (Titus 3:1-3).  It is not a matter of grace versus works.  It is a matter of obeying God’s works of righteousness to give us access to His grace (Ephesians 2:10).  It is our obedience to God’s works of righteousness that gives us access to the saving grace of God.  That is the reason for our submission to good works.
  • We Are Told the Result of Submitting to Good Works – The result of our submission and reception of God’s grace is clearly state in a three-fold manner in Titus 3:7.  First, Paul says we are justified.  That is we are declared innocent and free from our guilt, being made as though we had never sinned in the first place.  Second, Paul declares us heirs of God.  To be an heir is to obtain a portion of something, typically because of birth.  But because of our rebirth we are made heirs of God.  Third, Paul says we receive the hope of eternal life.  This is much more than merely an eternal existence.  This is eternal communion with God just as much as eternal death is separation from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9).  Knowing the results of a commitment to good works it is no wonder that some of Paul last words to Titus were, “And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:14). 
Do we want to be useful and fruitful in service to God?  Do we want to show full commitment to the purpose of the cross?  Do we want to live in hope of that eternal fellowship with God?  If so that commitment to redemption is going to require a commitment to sound works.

-Andy Brewer

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